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BBB Charity Complaint Handling Criteria

Before submitting a charity complaint, review the criteria below to understand the types of complaints BBB Wise Giving Alliance and participating Better Business Bureaus will process, circumstances they will not accept, and examples of complaints they would typically pursue.
 
If your complaint meets these criteria, you can submit it using our Charity Complaint Form.
 

Criteria for Processing a BBB Charity Complaint

BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB WGA) or Better Business Bureaus (BBBs) will process charity complaints that meet the following criteria.

  1. The complaint is about a nonprofit organization that is tax exempt as a charity under section 501c3 or 501c19 (veterans groups) of the Internal Revenue Code and to other nonprofits that are soliciting for charitable purposes (e.g., police and firefighter organizations.)

  2. The complaint includes the full name and email address of the complainant.

  3. The complaint includes the charity’s full name, and provides sufficient information to contact the charity such as an email and a postal address

  4. The complaint seeks assistance from BBB or BBB WGA and is requesting the charity to take some specific action

  5. The complaint is from a person (or a person’s authorized representative)

  6. The complaint is about an issue that must have arisen during the previous 12 months

  7. The complaint alleges a problem experienced regarding the public solicitation for funds and/or services or products the charity allegedly agreed to provide

  8. The complaint is not in litigation when filed with BBB WGA or BBB and has not been addressed by a previous court action or settlement with a government agency.

  9. The complaint contains no abusive language or threats. The complaint should not constitute abusive use of BBB or BBB WGA services.

  10. In the BBB’s or BBB WGA’s discretion, the complaint merits processing.

Charity Complaints We Will Not Accept

BBB Wise Giving Alliance or BBBs will not accept the following complaint circumstances:

  1. Anonymous complaints

  2. Employer/employee disputes

  3. Landlord/tenant/housing disputes

  4. Complaints about government agencies

  5. Complaints about the quality of medical care or caregiving services provided by a charity

  6. Complaints about the eligibility to receive charity services (examples: did not receive requested financial assistance, lodging, or food from a charity)

  7. Complaints alleging criminal violations such as robbery, assault, extortion, vandalism, trespassing, etc. (Complainant will be directed to  contact the applicable law enforcement agency for handling.)

  8. Complaints seeking compensation for personal injury (for example, slip and fall accidents and ingesting food that cause illness)

Examples of Charity Complaints We Would Typically Pursue

The following are examples of complaint allegations that BBB WGA or BBB would typically pursue:

  1. Excessive pressure in fundraising

  2. Requests to be removed from the charity’s mailing and/or telemarketing lists

  3. Nonreceipt of publications, items, or services the complainant ordered from the charity

  4. Billing issues, thrift store sales issues, and requests for refunds for participatory or fee-based services

  5. If a complaint does not include an actionable response from the charity but provides information that might impact findings in a BBB WGA or BBB Charity Report, the complaint will be considered closed and will be treated as ‘Information Only.’  BBB WGA or BBB will review the information and, where appropriate, contact the charity to determine if the evaluative report on the charity should be updated.

    Examples of such circumstances include but are not limited to:

    • Allegations that solicitations misrepresent the activities or the identity of the charity requesting funding

    • False previous donation claims made in a solicitation

    • False claims by a charity that it meets BBB Charity Standards

If your complaint meets these criteria, you can submit it using our Charity Complaint Form.