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.

A Child’s Wish Association of America, 6623 Superior Avenue, Suite B, Sarasota, Fla. 34231; http://www.childs-wish.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, and for compensated members not to serve as the board’s chair or treasurer; (2) spend at least 65 percent of its expenses on program activities; (3) spend no more than 35 percent of contributions on fund raising; (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) have an accessible annual report that includes program activities; (7) 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 (8) 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 2006, the organization had not provided complete information about its effectiveness measures, fund-raising disclosures, governance, and solicitation materials. Therefore, the alliance is unable to determine if A Child’s Wish Association of America meets seven additional standards.

International Fund for Animal Welfare, 411 Main Street, Yarmouth Port, Mass. 02675; http://www.ifaw.org. Does not meet the standard calling for a charitable organization to 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.

Wishing Well Foundation USA, 3929 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Suite 303, Metairie, La. 70002; http://www.wishingwellusa.org. As of December 2006, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, and governance. The alliance is unable to determine if the Wishing Well Foundation USA meets the standards.