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.

Bible League, P.O. Box 28000, Chicago, Ill. 60628; http://www.bibleleague.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) 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; (2) 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; and (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.

Coalition Against Breast Cancer, 1707-4 Veterans Memorial Highway, Islandia, N.Y. 11749. As of June 2005, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Coalition Against Breast Cancer meets the standards.

Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, 1112 East Chestnut Avenue, Santa Ana, Calif. 92701. As of June 2005, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Coalition of Police and Sheriffs meets the standards.

Concerned Women for America, 1015 15th Street, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, D.C. 20005. As of June 2005, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Concerned Women for America meets the standards.

Death With Dignity Alliance, 520 S.W. Sixth Avenue, Suite 1030, Portland, Ore. 97204. As of June 2005, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Death With Dignity Alliance meets the standards.

Focus on the Family, 8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80920. As of June 2005, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Focus on the Family meets the standards.

Goodwill Industries International, 15810 Indianola Drive, Rockville, Md. 20855; http://www.goodwill.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to 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.

Seeing Eye, P.O. Box 375, Washington Valley Road, Morristown, N.J. 07963; http://www.seeingeye.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to 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.

StandUp for Kids, 1510 Front Street, Suite 100, San Diego, Calif. 92101; http://www.standupforkids.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year that outlines expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration. As of June 2005, the organization had not provided complete information about its fund-raising expenses. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if StandUp for Kids meets three additional standards.