Watchdog Watch

Following are summaries of recent reports by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. This private group reports on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The alliance does not approve or disapprove of charities, and urges potential donors to evaluate the importance of variations from the standards. It also notes that charities’ practices may change at any time. For organizations that do not meet the standards, information is given only on those standards that are not met. Those organizations meet all the other standards.

Copies of the full reports are available from the Wise Giving Alliance, 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va. 22203; http://give.org.

Americans for Immigration Control, formerly known as American Immigration Control, P.O. Box 738, Monterey, Va. 24465; http://www.immigrationcontrol.com. As of March 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Americans for Immigration Control meets the standards.

Communities In Schools, 277 South Washington Street, Suite 210, Alexandria, Va. 22314; http://www.cisnet.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to have the majority of board members attending each board meeting in person.

Dogs for the Deaf, 10175 Wheeler Road, Central Point, Ore. 97502; http://www.dogsforthedeaf.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) avoid accumulating funds that could be used for program activities. The charity’s unrestricted net assets should not be more than three times the size of the past year’s expenses or three times the size of the current year’s budget, whichever is higher; (2) have an accessible annual report that includes a roster of officers and members of the board of directors; (3) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; and (4) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection, dissemination, and securing of personal information, and allow donors opportunities to have their names removed from solicitation lists. As of December 2005, the organization had not provided complete information about its governance and solicitation materials. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if Dogs for the Deaf meets three additional standards.

Food Animal Concerns Trust, formerly known as the Farm Animals Concerns Trust, 411 West Fullerton Parkway, Suite 1402W, Chicago, Ill. 60614; http://www.foodanimalconcernstrust.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have the majority of board members attending each board meeting in person; (2) avoid compensating members who serve as the board’s chair or treasurer; (3) have a board policy for assessing, at least every two years, the organization’s performance and effectiveness and for determining actions to achieve its mission; (4) include in its financial statement a breakdown of expenses (such as salaries, travel, and postage) that shows what portion of those expenses is dedicated to program activities; (5) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities; (6) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; and (7) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection, dissemination, and securing of personal information, and allow donors opportunities to have their names removed from solicitation lists.

Humane Farming Association, P.O. Box 3577, San Rafael, Calif. 94912; http://www.hfa.org. As of February 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Humane Farming Association meets the standards.

Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, also known as Toys for Tots Foundation, 715 Broadway Street, Suite 300, MCA Annex, Quantico, Va. 22134; http://www.toysfortots.org. Meets all standards.

Mission India, formerly known as Bibles for India, 4221 Richmond Northwest, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49544; http://www.missionindia.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have no more than one compensated person, or 10 percent of the board, whichever is greater, serving as a voting member of the board; (2) have a board policy for assessing, at least every two years, the organization’s performance and effectiveness and for determining actions to achieve its mission; (3) have an accessible annual report that includes a roster of members of the board of directors; (4) include on Web sites that solicit contributions the same information recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990; and (5) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection, dissemination, and securing of personal information, and allow donors opportunities to have their names removed from solicitation lists.

Newborns in Need, P.O. Box 385, Houston, Mo. 65483; http://www.newbornsinneed.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity’s operations and staff; (2) have no more than one compensated person, or 10 percent of the board, whichever is greater, serving as a voting member of the board, and for compensated members not to serve as the board’s chair or treasurer; (3) have a board policy for assessing, at least every two years, the organization’s performance and effectiveness and for determining actions to achieve its mission; (4) have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration; (5) have an accessible annual report that includes a mission statement; program accomplishments; a roster of officers and members of the board of directors; and financial information such as net assets, income, and expenses; (6) take action to ensure that privacy concerns of donors are respected in the collection, dissemination, and securing of personal information, and allow donors opportunities to have their names removed from solicitation lists; and (7) clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer’s purchase or business transaction.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, 804 West Diamond Avenue, Suite 210, Gaithersburg, Md. 20878; http://www.oif.org. Meets all standards.

Paws With a Cause, formerly known as Ears for the Deaf, 4646 South Division, Wayland, Mich. 49348; http://www.pawswithacause.org. Meets all standards.