Watchdog Watch

Following are summaries of recent reports by the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ Philanthropic Advisory Service and the National Charities Information Bureau.

Those two private organizations report on whether charities meet standards for fund raising, governance, financial management, and public information. The organizations do not approve or disapprove of charities, and they urge potential donors to evaluate the importance of variations from the standards. They also note 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 Council of Better Business Bureaus, Philanthropic Advisory Service, 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va. 22203; World-Wide Web http://www.bbb.org; and the National Charities Information Bureau, 19 Union Square West, New York 10003; World-Wide Web http://www.give.org.

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, 919 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1000, Chicago 60611-1676. Meets all standards.

Arthritis Foundation, 1330 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta 30309. Meets all standards.

Gifts In Kind International, 333 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314. Meets all standards.

Grant a Wish Network, 323 East Madison Road, Orange, Va. 22960. As of May 22, the organization had not provided current information about its finances, programs, or governance. The bureau is unable to determine if the Grant a Wish Network meets its 23 standards.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, N.Y. 10598. Meets all standards.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, 200 North Glebe Road, Suite 1015, Arlington, Va. 22203-3754. Meets all standards.

People to People International, 501 East Armour Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo. 64109-2200. Meets all standards.

World Concern/World Concern Development Organization, 19303 Fremont Avenue North, Seattle 98133. Meets all standards.

NATIONAL CHARITIES INFORMATION BUREAU

America the Beautiful Fund, 1511 K Street, N.W., Suite 611, Washington 20005. Meets all standards.

Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation of America (National Service Center only), P.O. Box 297, 1505 Riverview Road, St. Peter, Minn. 56082. Meets all standards.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, Suite 200, Bethesda, Md. 20814. Meets all standards.

Literacy Volunteers of America (National Service Center only), 635 James Street, Syracuse, N.Y. 13203. Meets all standards.

The Population Institute, 107 Second Street, N.E., Washington 20002. Meets all standards.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (National Service Center only), 12 West 21st Street, Seventh Floor, New York 10010. Meets all standards.

United Cancer Research Society, 3545 20th Street, Highland, Cal. 92346-4542. Does not meet the standard calling for the organization’s governing board to have no material conflicts of interest involving board or staff members, nor the eight standards that compose the bureau’s requirements on annual reporting, financial accountability, and budgetary reporting. The bureau notes that there is insufficient evidence to determine if the organization meets the four standards related to use of funds.