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.

Education Is Freedom, also known as the Education is Freedom Foundation, 2711 North Haskell Avenue, Suite 3400, Dallas, Tex. 75204; http://www.educationisfreedom.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body, with the majority of board members attending each meeting in person; (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) submit to its governing body for approval a written report outlining the results of a performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions; (4) make available annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (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) 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. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided complete information about its finances and fund raising. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if Education Is Freedom meets two additional standards.

Feeding America’s Hungry Children, 11052 North 24th Street, Phoenix, Ariz. 85029. As of May 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Feeding America’s Hungry Children meets the standards.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, also known as the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Foundation, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, Wash. 98109; http://www.fhcrc.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center meets the standards.

Hidaya Foundation, 1765 Scott Boulevard, Suite 115, Santa Clara, Calif. 95050; http://www.hidaya.org. As of May 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Hidaya Foundation meets the standards.

Hope International Ministries, 7305 Mushinski Road, Tampa, Fla. 33625. As of May 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Hope International Ministries meets the standards.

Marshall Legacy Institute, 2425 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 313, Arlington, Va. 22201; http://www.marshall-legacy.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Marshall Legacy Institute meets the standards.

Mennonite Central Committee, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pa. 17501; http://www.mcc.org. As of June 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Mennonite Central Committee meets the standards.