Category: Wise Giving Wednesday

One of the key objectives of our evaluations of publicly-soliciting charities in relation to the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability is to help donors verify the trustworthiness of these organizations. Trust is the concept that captures the heart of this goal. This goal is distinctively different than the role of government regulators that generally focus on rooting out bad actors engaged in deceptive or abusive practices. While our evaluations may capture some elements of serious problems (for example, significant conflicts of interest transactions or misleading appeals,) they seek to identify broader, basic trust practices that a majority of charities are able to meet:

• Is the charity’s governing board active, independent and free of self-dealing?
• Does the charity periodically asses how well it is addressing its mission and making necessary course corrections?
• Does the organization spend its funds honestly, prudently and in accordance with statements made in appeals?
• Are its solicitations and other public communications accurate?
• Does it demonstrate transparency by providing free access to basic information?

These fundamental verifications capture what the BBB Charity Standards are all about and most everyone would agree are universal in their importance to charities. We hope you keep these broad concepts in mind when you review our charity reports in order to place our evaluative conclusions in the proper context. We also encourage you to review how we apply each of our 20 standards by reviewing the Implementation Guide available in the following link. We seek to be fully transparent not only in the intent of these standards but also in how we carry our this work.

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Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring Michael King, President & CEO, Volunteers of America (a BBB Accredited Charity) which is a faith-based organization that works to help those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. The organization’s programs are designed to support seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions, and military veterans.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Disabled American Veterans

• NAACP

• National Kidney Foundation

Finally, remember to let us know by going to http://www.give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one. H. Art Taylor, President & CEO BBB Wise Giving Alliance

In the past week, Congress passed the spending bill (Consolidated Appropriations Bill, H.R. 2029) that pays for the Federal Government until next fall. What many don’t realize, however, is that this bill will not only prevent a government shutdown, but will also provide $32 billion for a variety of health research projects at the National Institutes of Health. A specific example is $6 million for the National Lupus Patient Registry program to be conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As stated by the CDC, “ The project is intended to better define the incidence and prevalence of lupus and better characterize individuals with these conditions.”  For those who are unfamiliar, Lupus is an autoimmune disease that leads to inflammation and tissue damage. Health research today is funded by a mix of grants from government agencies, institutions, foundations and charities. Each plays an important role in advancing the knowledge base on the prevention, treatment and potential cures of various diseases and conditions.  As donors, most of us seek to do our part by funding charities that conduct health research not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year. For those of you who are making end of the year gift decisions, please remember to verify a health charity’s trustworthiness by visiting Give.org to determine if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability .

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As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide the following video that features Sandra Raymond, President & CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America (a BBB Accredited Charity) which seeks to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus through programs of research, education, support and advocacy.

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We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://www.give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one. H. Art Taylor, President & CEO BBB Wise Giving Alliance

Yesterday was #GivingTuesday – a designated day to donate to charities. Last week Wise Giving Wednesday featured this event and provided giving tips to keep in mind for those who participated by donating on this day.  Of course, giving does not end on #GivingTuesday and takes place throughout the year.

While all charities need continuing help, we remind donors to especially remember the various disaster relief efforts to address Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria as well as the earthquake in Mexico. While these disasters have moved past the emergency relief phase and are now entering recovery, those charities engaged in rebuilding efforts will need additional assistance to get the job done. It is likely that those efforts will take years to complete.

If you are short on cash this holiday season and are considering alternatives such as donating used items, the items need to be in good used condition in order to claim a charitable deduction on your federal income tax.  For example, if a charity accepts used clothing, a torn sweatshirt won’t do.  And, be sure to check out the charity on Give.org to find out if they meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

So if for some reason you missed #GivingTuesday, there are many other opportunities to help charities. We hope you will be generous in your choices and will seek to verify their trustworthiness by visiting Give.org.

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Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video that features Joel Williams, Managing Attorney, Native American Rights Fund (a BBB Accredited Charity), which provides  legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals who may have otherwise gone without adequate representation. The organization reports that it helps tribes in all fifty states, with programming concentrated in five key areas: the preservation of Tribal existence; protection of Tribal natural resources; promotion of Native American human rights; the accountability of governments to Native Americans; and the development of Indian law and educating the public about Indian rights, laws and issues.

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Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Movember Foundation 
• National Park Foundation
• Unbound

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://www.give.org/charity-inquiry if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO BBB Wise Giving Alliance

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States, November 28th, is the sixth anniversary of #GivingTuesday − a designated day to donate to charities. Since its founding by the New York based 92Y, along with the United Nations Foundation, #GivingTuesday has grown into a global phenomenon with similar campaigns extended in many other countries as well. 

BBB Wise Giving Alliance encourages donors to give generously but to also find out more about the organization(s) before sending donation(s) and visit Give.org to verify if the charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability . 

To assist donors, BBB WGA offers the following #Giving Tuesday Checklist 

1. Family Decisions. Sit down with your family and/or friends to identify the causes and charities that are most meaningful to you. See the results of our recent survey which shows that 61% of Millennial parents have talked about charity with  their children in the past year.   
2. Watch Out for Name Similarity.  Charities raising money for the same cause can have names that sound similar.  Avoid cases of mistaken identity by looking at the name carefully. 
3. What Does the Charity Do?  A charity’s name won’t necessarily reflect the nature of its program activities. Review the charity’s appeals and website to make sure you know how it plans to address the problems it describes so well. 
4. Verify Your Charity. Visit Give.org to verify that your charity of choice is trustworthy and transparent.  

Discover more tips on how to make a wise giving decision provided at Give.org. 

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Video of the Week 

On a separate note, as part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video that features Jim Mitchum, CEO of Heart to Heart International (a BBB Accredited Charity), an international humanitarian aid organization that responds to natural and man-made disasters worldwide with volunteers on the ground and emergency relief supplies. 

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Recent Reports 

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation 
• Foundation Fighting Blindness 
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of America  

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://www.give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.   

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance

Yesterday in Washington, DC,  the Federal Trade Commission held its first charity conference: Give & Take: Consumers, Contributions and Charity. Both Bennett Weiner (BBB WGA’s Chief Operating Officer) and I were honored to participate on separate panel discussions that addressed various issues about safeguarding donors from fraud and deception. There were a variety of speakers at this event including those with backgrounds from academia, the federal and state regulatory community, crowdfunding sites, infrastructure organizations, nonprofit legal experts as well as charity monitoring groups such as BBB WGA. In part, BBB WGA seeks to educate the public about deceptive fundraising practices by sharing wise giving advice as well as by completing evaluative reports based on the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. These holistic standards, however, address more than just deception and also include provisions about good governance practices, transparency, results reporting and financial management. In my view, one of the most important elements of this gathering was the insights on the emerging challenges facing both donors and regulators in the future. In years to come, new forms of social media and communication will emerge such as applications of virtual reality which put viewers “in the scene” instead of just seeing a photo or video. This has the potential to create emotional fundraising asks that go far beyond what we have ever experienced. In turn, crowdfunding is evolving into forums that seek to help individuals not only raise money for immediate needs but also on a continuing basis. Regulators should gear up to this challenge and may need to seek outside collaborations to develop the skills and tools that will help them catch bad actors in these spaces.

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March is colon cancer awareness month, and we are pleased to provide a video of Nicole Sheahan, Chief Development Officer of Colon Cancer Alliance (a BBB Accredited Charity) which works to unite patients, caregivers, health care providers, cancer researchers, policymakers, and concerned citizens in a campaign to eradicate colorectal cancer. The organization also seeks to advocate effective screening, diagnoses, treatment and support for research. March is colon cancer awareness month.

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We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:  

• Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
• New Venture Fund
• Seeing Eye

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://www.give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one. H. Art Taylor, President & CEO BBB Wise Giving Alliance

A story posted on April 7^th by The Chronicle of Philanthropy highlights the importance of cybersecurity for charities. For obvious reasons, donors want to make online donations without fear of their credit card numbers being accessed by hackers. Many charity websites don’t just confine visitor interactions to contributions, they also may invite people to email questions or request assistance related to the organization’s mission.  So, privacy and security is more than a donation safety issue, it is about the potential theft of all types of charity data.  

The latest issue of the Wise Giving Guide, also addresses cybersecurity. We take a look at the various types of attacks charities encounter, from data breaches to social media and phishing.  We also discuss how charities can protect themselves from these attacks, maintaining a higher standard of donor trust.  Finally, we offer advice on how donors can be proactive in avoiding security pitfalls both with their own computer and mobile devices and in their online activities.

Standard 18 of our Standards for Charity Accountability addresses the issue of donor privacy in two ways. One part of this standard calls for charity websites to have a posted privacy policy that covers at least four points:

• What data is being collected and how it will be used;
• How to contact the charity t review your data and request corrections;
• If applicable, how to inform the charity one does not want this data shared with others; and
• What security measures the charity has to protect personal information. 

Charities need to be making sure they are protecting themselves, their stakeholders, and their donors from cybercrime.  In next week’s edition of #WiseGivingWed, BBB WGA will address another aspect of donor privacy: mailing lists. 

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors.  Visit Give.org to check out any charity before giving.  Our recently evaluated charities include:  

• Southeastern Guide Dogs
• Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
• Heartbeat International
• Mennonite Central Committee

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://www.give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one. 

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance

In high school biology, most of us learn about the taxonomy classification system, first introduced in the 18 ^th century, that uses a ranking hierarchy to identify every creature on the earth starting with the broad categories of domain and kingdom and eventually ending with genus and species.  Although the history of the charitable sector dates back even earlier, its classification system is of more recent origin.  The National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) was initially developed in the 1980s by the National Center for Charitable Statistics which is currently part of the Urban Institute.  While both of these classification systems are very different, they serve a similar objective – to bring order to a field that has wide diversity. Like the animal kingdom, philanthropy covers so many different entities. The NTEE system includes over 26 codes representing everything from the arts and culture to youth development. And, each of these codes is further broken down into a dozen or more categories. 

For example, the NTEE codes for animal related organizations (labeled as category D) is defined as “nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to provide care, protection and control of wildlife and domestic animals that are a part of the living environment, to help people develop an understanding of their pets, and to train animals for the purpose of showing.” After this very broad definition, the category is further broken down into such areas as:

• D01 – Advocacy groups that seek to influence public policy
• D05-  Research Institutes
• D20 – Animal Protection and Welfare
• D30 – Wildlife Preservation and Protection
• D30 – Wildlife Sanctuaries
• D50 – Zoos and Aquariums
• D61 – Animal Training
• And more. 

Despite this comprehensive cataloging, our experience in reporting on soliciting charities has taught us that it can be difficult to identify the specific type of animal-related charity based solely on its name. Yet, donors do this each and every day, and may come to mistaken conclusions about what charity activities they are supporting.  This is all the more reason for contributors to read appeals carefully and go to the charity’s website to learn more details about the organization. Animal-related charities are one of the most asked about areas of donor interest at BBB WGA.  And of course, we encourage donors to also visit Give.org to verify the trustworthiness of the charity by seeing if they meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. 

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On a related note, as part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video of Priscilla Ma, Executive Director, World Animal Protection, (a BBB Accredited Charity) which collaborates with governments and international agencies on its four main program areas: stopping animals being cruelly traded, trapped, abused or killed; stopping farm animal suffering; safeguarding animals and the lives of the people who depend on them in disasters; and stopping the killing of dogs worldwide. 

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We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit  Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include: 

• Pan African Sanctuary Alliance
• Partnership with Native Americans
• Wounded Warrior Project 

Finally, remember to let us know by going to  https://www.give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.  

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance