Web Site Aids Charities’ Accountability

By Nicole Wallace

A new Web site helps nonprofit organizations identify ways they can earn and maintain their donors’ trust by improving their operations, being open about their finances and programs, and avoiding ethical conflicts.

The site, called Pillars of Accountability in the Nonprofit World, asks charities to answer a series of questions in four different areas: cultural sensitivity of staff members and the charity’s services, finances, fund raising, and the ability to manage the risk of lawsuits, accidents, and other hazards.

Among the questions in the fund-raising section: “Do the financial statements or reports your nonprofit makes available to donors clearly identify overhead costs?” and “Do persons soliciting donations for your nonprofit indicate to potential donors whether they are employees, volunteers, or paid solicitors?”

The Web site then offers the charity advice on ways it can improve its operations based on the group’s answers to the questions. The tool allows the charity to create a report listing the suggestions it wants to follow up on. In the report, the organization can also assign a date by which each task should be completed, a person in charge of doing it, and the task’s level of importance.

The Nonprofit Risk Management Center, in Washington, created the site in cooperation with CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, in San Francisco, and the Public Entity Risk Institute, in Fairfax, Va.

To get there: Go to http://www.2gather.net/pillars.htm.