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.

American Refugee Committee, 430 Oak Grove Street, Suite 204, Minneapolis, Minn. 55403; http://www.archq.org. Meets all standards.

Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, 1700 North Moore Street, Suite 2000, Arlington, Va. 22209; http://www.ashoka.org. As of February 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Ashoka: Innovators for the Public meets the standards.

Benny Hinn Ministries, P.O. Box 162000, Irving, Tex. 75016; http://www.bennyhinn.org. As of February 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Benny Hinn Ministries meets the standards.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, Wash. 98109; http://www.fhcrc.org. Does not meet the standards calling for a charitable organization to: (1) have an accessible annual report that includes a mission statement and a roster of officers and members of the board of directors; (2) 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 (3) 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 January 2007, the organization had not provided complete information about its effectiveness measures, governance, and solicitation materials. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center meets five additional standards.

Helen Keller International, 352 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10010; http://www.hki.org. As of January 2007, the organization had not provided complete information about its finances. Although Helen Keller International meets 19 standards, the alliance is unable to determine if it meets one standard on reporting the charity’s expenses.

Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; http://www.hrc.org. As of January 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Human Rights Campaign Foundation meets the standards.

International Rescue Committee, 122 East 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10168; http://www.theirc.org. Meets all standards.

JA Worldwide, formerly known as Junior Achievement International, 1 Education Way, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80906; http://www.ja.org. Meets all standards.

Mozilla Foundation, 1981 Landings Drive, Building K, Mountain View, Calif. 94043; http://www.mozilla.org/foundation. As of January 2007, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if Mozilla Foundation meets the standards.

Project Orbis International, also known as Orbis, 520 Eighth Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018; http://www.orbis.org. Meets all standards.