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  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Charity Under the Big Top – Circus Fundraising Events

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Charity Under the Big Top – Circus Fundraising Events

    Earlier this year, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus announced their closing after 146 years and are now in their final performances ending sometime in May. Falling ticket sales, criticism from animal rights groups, among other things, led to this result.  As reported in The Washington Post on March 29 th, while there is no equivalent U.S. federal law, performing animals are banned in many nations in Europe and Mexico and several Latin American countries have also placed restrictions on circus use of animals as well. 

    But don’t think that the Big Top is folding forever, a number of smaller traveling circuses still continue in the United States. Some of these traveling shows have a history of doing performances to benefit charities. For example, the website of one such circus notes that it works with municipalities, service organizations, booster clubs and charities to hold fundraising events.  In another instance, a circus reports that it is a charity itself that supports a youth program in South Africa. 

    In past years, for some circus fundraising events, there have been instances of questionable ticket sale marketing particularly on behalf of police and firefighter organizations.  Examples of problems include telemarketers that ask businesses to sponsor blocks of tickets with the promise that they will be used for needy children to attend the event when no such arrangements have been made, overselling the number of tickets available for an event, and/or circumstances that result in very little of the money raised going to the specified cause. 

    If approached by a fundraising circus activity, BBB Wise Giving Alliance advises individuals to ask how much of the ticket sales will go to the designated charity and to take the time to verify if the mentioned organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Also, visit the organization’s website to see if the charity is funding the type of programs and activities that you want to support. 

    As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video of Joshua Rednick, President and CEO, Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (a BBB Accredited Charity) which funds basic, re-clinical and patient-based diabetes studies. Key funded research areas include tissue engineering, immune tolerance, regenerative medicine, stem cell research, and nanotechnology to restore biological insulin production.  

    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:  

    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

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Relief Assistance for the California Wildfires

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Relief Assistance for the California Wildfires

    The wildfires in California are devastating and have killed almost two dozen people and displaced many thousands. Both the Hill and Woolsey fire near Los Angeles and the Camp Fire in Northern California continue their paths of destruction that are being vigorously battled by firefighters. To assist those seeking to provide help to either the impacted families, firefighters or both, here are some suggestions to keep in mind.

    Volunteer opportunities.

    For those who are not too distant from the impacted areas, one might be able to either provide housing for firefighters or donate non-perishable food to help feed those battling the blaze. Contact established charities such as the Salvation Army and United Way to find out more.

    Crowdfunding cautions.

    While some crowdfunding sites take precautions in carefully screening postings after a disaster, others might not. If unsure, review the posting procedures described on the crowdfunding site and also find out about transaction fees and other specifics. It is always safest to contribute to people and/or families that you personally know that have posted pleas for financial help. Also remember that there may be other giving options such as sending support to charities providing assistance.

    Be wary of vague appeals.

    Watch out for vague appeals that don’t describe the intended use of funds. For example, will they be used to help displaced families cover temporary housing, rebuild burned communities, or help address other needs?  Also, unless told otherwise, donors assume that funds collected quickly in the wake of a disaster will be spent just as quickly.

    Financial transparency in disaster relief.

    After funds are raised to address a disaster, it is vital for organizations to provide an accounting of how funds were spent. Transparent organizations will post this information on their websites so that anyone can find out and not have to wait until financial statements are available sometime in the future.

    Also remember to check out charities at Give.org to find out if the subject organizations meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

    200th Blog for Wise Giving Wednesday

    This blog represents the 200th posting of Wise Giving Wednesday on Give.org. We are pleased to have reached this milestone and will continue to provide advice and comment on charity related issues to assist your giving decisions.

    Art Taylor to Appear on Ted Hart’s Podcast

    Art Taylor will be discussing BBB WGA’s recent activities on Ted Hart’s “The Nonprofit Coach” podcast, to be posted on November 20th.

    Video of the Week

    We are pleased to provide a video that features highlights of the Give.org Donor Trust Report which was discussed in our October 25th press release. The report provides an in-depth look into donors beliefs, feelings and behavioral intentions related to charity trust and giving. The following video includes clips of interviews with charity leaders reacting to the findings in the report.

    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:

    Finally, remember to let us know by going to 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

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Designated Donation Days

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Designated Donation Days

    Since its start in 2012, the Giving Tuesday campaign, initiated by the 92nd Street Y in New York City, helped create a designated day for giving on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. It has since grown into a social media powerhouse that helped raise $116 million in 71 countries and generated 114 billion impressions on Twitter and reached over 917,000 Facebook users. (For the past two years, BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Better Business Bureaus advised participants in this campaign to give wisely by verifying if their selected charities meet the BBB Charity Standards). 

    Seeing the success of this phenomenon, a number of new “giving days” have emerged.  In order to prompt alumni giving, especially from younger graduates, various college and universities have created their own special days of giving.  As reported in The Chronicle of Philanthropy this month, the University of Michigan was able to raise $4.4 million in 24 hours for its designated giving day in 2015. Some schools reportedly were seeking to increase donor participation rather than just dollars. 

    Not only charities, but fundraising companies are also seeking to engage in giving days. For example, Kimbia, an online fundraising and crowdfunding platform, working with The K Foundation, a donor advised fund, helped start  its own Give Local America campaign two years ago and had Tuesday, May 3, 2016 as its Give Local America day. The campaign also worked with community foundations and provided participating communities with logos, templates and other graphics to help carry out local campaigns for the May 3rd event. (The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that Kimbia’s online giving software experienced problems during this May 3rd campaign that impacted the ability of many donors to contribute.)

    As future giving calendars are likely to see even more designated giving days, BBB Wise Giving Alliance reminds potential donors to verify the trustworthiness of charities by visiting Give.org to verify if the charity meets our 20 holistic standards. 

    On a separate note, as part of our Building Trust Video Series we are pleased to provide a video featuring Dr. Preston W. Campbell III,  President and CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation  (a BBB Accredited Charity) which seeks to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with the disease the opportunity to lead full, productive lives by funding research and drug development, promoting individualized treatment, and ensuring access to high quality, specialized care. 

    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: 

    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

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Give.org Cited as Benchmark for Giving

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Give.org Cited as Benchmark for Giving

    Previously the Wise Giving Wednesday blog referenced an article, Give.org – The Benchmark for Giving, published by ConsumersAdvocate.org, an organization that has no affiliation or connection to BBB Wise Giving Alliance. We wanted to bring this piece to your attention since it speaks to the heart of what we are about – a set of standards or benchmarks that help us evaluate charity governance, finances, results reporting, appeal accuracy and other matters. The charity reports we produce, at no charge to the subject charity, provide donors with a means to help verify the trustworthiness of organizations soliciting their support. The article written by ConsumersAdvocate’s Gabriel Sanchez, with help from Editor Scott Smith, provides an overview of our activities and identifies the long BBB history and experience with reporting on both nationally and regionally-soliciting charities.

    The 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability took several years to develop with the help and input of charities, fundraisers, foundations, accountants, government regulators, the donating public, Better Business Bureaus among others. These benchmarks were intended to represent minimum thresholds of practice that all publicly-soliciting charities should be able to meet. The issues addressed in these standards were mirrored by other organizations (such as Independent Sector’s Principles of Good Governance and Ethical Practice) that subsequently produced similar guidelines that addressed many of the same areas as BBB Wise Giving Alliance. This is not coincidence but shows convergence and consistency of the charitable community in recognizing what benchmarks are important to follow.

    The other part of our legacy that reflects our accountability approach is that BBB Wise Giving Alliance works with charities to not only inform them of any deficiencies that are found but also identifies ways they can help address them. This reflects our role to not only help donors make giving decisions but to also help charities improve and strengthen their practices. We correspond with organizations and communicate on an individual basis in order to complete our reports.

    Because of the robust nature of our review and the broad scope covered by our standards, our charity evaluations require much more than just an IRS Form 990 and/or charity financial statement. We subscribe to the Overhead Myth philosophy that financial ratios should not be the sole indicator of charity performance.

    While almost two-thirds of the charities provide us with requested information to complete such evaluations, some unfortunately choose not to disclose any information despite repeated written request. Nevertheless, our donor inquirers want to know if a charity meets our standards and are not pleased to hear when a charity provides no information at all. We treat all charities with the same respect and apply our standards objectively whether they are an organization with just a few years of experience or a famous long-established name recognized by most.

    We hope you will take a moment to review the Consumer’s Advocate article about our work and also make good use of our website to make wise giving decisions during the holiday season.

    Video of the Week

    As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video that features Michael Roberts, President and CEO, First Nations Development Institute (a BBB Accredited Charity) which works to improve economic conditions for Native Americans through technical assistance and training, advocacy and policy, and direct financial grants. 

    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:

    Finally, remember to let us know by going to 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

     

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Helping Flood Victims in Louisiana

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Helping Flood Victims in Louisiana

    About a month ago, we wrote about floods in West Virginia and now we sadly note that Louisiana has also experienced devastating floods as well. The Louisiana Governor’s office reports that over 12,000 went to shelters in Southern Louisiana and many thousands more are displaced from their homes.  In the aftermath of such misery, people are seeking safety, food and shelter.  Many Americans will want to help by donating to various charities.  In such circumstances, it makes sense to turn to established charities that have experience, facilities and procedures in place to deal with such tragedies. Listed below are some of the national charities that are BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., that meet all 20 BBB Charity Standards) that are engaged in some aspect of relief. 

    In addition, we suggest that donors keep the following tips in mind as well to help avoid questionable appeals for support: 

    Find out if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas. Unless the charity already has staff in the affected areas, it may be difficult to bring in new aid workers to provide assistance quickly. See if the charity’s website clearly describes what the charity can do to address immediate needs. 

    Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Some charities may be raising money to pass along to relief organizations. If so, you may want to consider “avoiding the middleman” and giving directly to those that have a presence in the region. Or, at a minimum, check out the ultimate recipients of these donations to see whether they are equipped to provide aid effectively. 

    Gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations. In-kind drives for food and clothing, while well intentioned, may not necessarily be the quickest way to help those in need – unless the organization has the staff and infrastructure to distribute such aid properly. Ask the charity about its transportation and distribution plans. Be wary of those who are not experienced in disaster relief assistance. 

    Understand crowdfunding. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals who decide to post for assistance after a disaster, and it is often difficult for donors to verify trustworthiness of crowdfunding requests for support.  The Office of the Attorney General in Louisiana issued a statement on August 16th announcing that it would be working with the crowdfunding site GoFundMe to add additional fraud protections to help ensure donations to help flood victims go to the intended cause.

    CHARITIES ENGAGED IN LOUISIANA RELIEF

    Note that BBB Wise Giving Alliance report links are for the national offices of these organizations.

    On a separate note, as part of our Building Trust Video Series we are pleased to provide a video that features Michelle DeLaune, Chief Operating Officer of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (a BBB Accredited Charity).  This organization works closely with families of missing children to help rescue and recover them and also seeks to help prevent child sexual exploitation. 

    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:

    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

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: GivingTuesday and Beyond

    Wise Giving Wednesday: GivingTuesday and Beyond

    Yesterday, on December 3rd, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, millions of donations were made to charities as part of the GivingTuesday campaign. Now in its seventh year, this campaign has evolved into a global movement that involves over 200 local giving campaigns in the U.S. and 60 in other countries around the world. See the “Days of Giving” cover story from our latest Wise Giving Guide magazine to learn more about GivingTuesday as well as other regional and cause-related giving days around the country.

    The previous Wise Giving Wednesday featured wise giving tips to help ensure that generosity was directed towards trustworthy organizations.  Of course, contributions don’t end with this one event. Charities need your continuing support throughout the year. Also, don’t forget to support charities that are seeking to help areas impacted by hurricanes, tornados, mass shootings, and other tragedies and disasters in 2019. They deserve your continuing attention and support as they address long-term recovery efforts. Needs don’t disappear when the headlines do.

    If you are short on cash, consider 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.  

    For those who missed GivingTuesday, there are many other opportunities to help charities. Be generous in your choices but always seek to verify an organization’s accountability before you donate. Visit Give.org to find out if they meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. 

    Video of the Week

    As part of the building trust video series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring Asha Curran, Co-Founder and CEO of GivingTuesday, which is now a separate charitable organization.  Ms. Curran describes the global nature of GivingTuesday and their data collaborative which seeks to help information collected during this campaign to be pooled and shared with other organizations and communities to help them address their respective goals and missions.

    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:

    Finally, remember to let us know by going to 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 and CEO
    BBB Wise Giving Alliance

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Celebrity Fundraising for Disaster Relief

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Celebrity Fundraising for Disaster Relief

    Last week, our blog announced the release of the special Give.org Donor Trust Report: Disaster Relief Donor Expectations. The report provides the results of an online survey of 2,100 adults in the United States and 68 national and local disaster relief charities, and explores donor expectations related to disaster relief giving.

    Among other things, this survey asked about celebrity (i.e., movie actor, TV star, famous athlete, etc.) fundraisers for disaster relief. Here are some highlights:

    17.75% of respondents said that they contributed to a celebrity’s disaster relief fundraising effort during 2018. Being a fan of the celebrity was the most frequently cited reason to do so, following by trust in the celebrity to choose.

    Men were more likely to contribute to such celebrity fundraisers than women (23% of men and 13% of women.)

    Giving money to a celebrity’s disaster relief fundraiser is more popular among younger generations (31.75% of Millennials as compared to 5.53% of Baby Boomers)

    83% of people who donated to a celebrity fundraiser said they would have otherwise donated the money to other relief efforts.

    Survey results confirm that some donors are likely to put their trust in a celebrity to help those in need when disaster strikes. In our experience, however, some celebrity fundraising efforts raise money without defining how funds will be spent. For instance, by identifying whether specific charities will be supported with monies raised and how quickly funds will be disbursed to these groups. While these celebrity efforts have good intentions, this lack of preparation can sometimes result in delays in assisting relief efforts.

    While we recognize the value of different types of disaster relief fundraisers, when it comes to celebrity appeals, we hope donors will support celebrities that are clear about partnering with an established charity and that they visit Give.org to verify if the charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

    Video of the Week

    This week’s video features Kitty Block, President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (a BBB Accredited Charity) sharing her reactions and insights related to the Donor Trust Report findings and the work her organization does globally in the wake of disasters.

    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:

    Finally, remember to let us know by going to 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

  • BBB Warns About Ebola Scams and Schemes

    BBB Warns About Ebola Scams and Schemes

    Arlington, VA  – Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about a variety of Ebola-related scams and problematic fundraisers that have emerged recently. BBB Wise Giving Alliance is working with BBB Serving Dallas and Northeast Texas, where the first victim died and two nurses became infected; BBB Serving Greater Cleveland, where one of the nurses traveled before getting sick; and several other local BBBs to investigate some of the Ebola-related efforts.

    A fundraising page on GoFundMe was created on Wednesday to raise donations for Amber Joy Vinson, the nurse who traveled from Dallas to Cleveland and is currently being treated in Atlanta for Ebola. The site may have been the work of a well-intentioned individual, but members of Vinson’s family tell BBB they did not authorize the effort. Although that page has since been shut down, there are more than 100 GoFundMe pages raising money for various Ebola campaigns.

    Several BBBs have also reported on phone solicitation from an organization supposedly raising money to help with Ebola. When pressed, the caller says he is from a famous charity’s chapter in the Bronx, New York. BBB Metro New York confirmed that no such branch exists and that the solicitation is likely a scam.

    BBB warns donors to carefully research any charitable efforts – especially those that surface following an event that gains media attention.  

    Tips* on funding requests appearing on crowdfunding sites:

    • See if the crowdfunding request is from a charity. If so, check out the organization at give.org, the charity reporting arm of the BBB.
    • Give to individuals you know. It is safest to give to those individuals you personally know who are contacting you to support their specific crowdfunding project.
    • Crowdfunding projects that share updates provide greater transparency. Updates from a project’s organizers help to ensure they’re being honest about the uses of raised money.
    • Don’t assume your donation or gift is tax deductible. If you are funding a project run by an individual instead of a charity, the funding you provide may not be deductible as a charitable gift for federal income tax purposes.
    • Read the fine print. There could be credit card fees and administrative costs associated with donating on a crowdfunding site.
    • Specialized crowdfunding sites (for example, a site that focuses on relief projects in other countries) may be more adept. A site that allows any type of crowdfunding may result in more challenging oversight hurdles.

    Tips* on telephone fundraising appeals:

    • Resist pressure to make an on-the-spot donation decision.
    • Never give your credit card number or other personal financial information to unknown callers.
    • If interested ask the charity to identify its full name and website address so you can see if there is a BBB report on give.org

    For additional assistance on charitable giving issues, visit the BBB Wise Giving Alliance website at give.org.

    *Tips updated 10/17/14 to include additional information.

    About BBB Wise Giving Alliance
    BBB Wise Giving Alliance produces reports on more than 1,300 nationally soliciting charitable organizations, and local Better Business Bureaus report on another 10,000 local and regional charities. BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 holistic standards that address charity governance, effectiveness reporting, finances, fund raising, appeal accuracy, and other issues. There is no charge to charities for the evaluation, and the resulting reports are accessible to the public at give.org.

    About BBB
    For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2013, people turned to BBB more than 132 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 4.5 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for 112 local, independent BBBs across North America, as well as home to its national programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation.

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Veterans Organizations

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Veterans Organizations

    On Veterans Day, our thoughts turn to veterans and military service members, especially those in need of assistance.  Charities devoted to the various needs of veterans and their families deserve our support throughout the year. But for those donors thinking of making a special contribution in honor of Veterans Day, we urge them to be cautious to avoid some of the more questionable efforts seeking to take advantage of American generosity. 

    We are here to help the public make informed decisions about the organizations they want to support. BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips on giving to veterans and military affiliated organizations:

    • Mistaken Identity : Watch out for name confusions. Many veterans’ charities include virtually the same words in different order or slightly different form.
    • Clear Program Description : Look for a clear description of the organization’s programs in its appeals and on its website. If the charity says it is helping veterans, does it explain how (financial assistance, shelter, counseling) and where it is doing so?  
    • Telemarketing Cautions : Telemarketing can be a costly method of fundraising unless carefully managed. If called, do not hesitate to ask for written information on the charity’s programs and finances before making a donation decision.
    • On-the-Spot Donation Decisions : Be wary of excessive pressure in fundraising. Don’t be pressured to make an immediate on-the-spot donation. Charities should welcome your gift whenever you want to send it.
    • Donating Used Clothing and Other Goods : Find out how the charity benefits from the collection and resale of used clothing and other in-kind gifts. Sometimes the charity receives only a small portion of the resale price of the item or may have a contractual arrangement to get a flat fee for every household pick-up, no matter what the contents.
    • Check with Outside Sources Before Giving : In addition to charity reports on Give.org, check with your state government’s charity registration agency, usually a division of the Attorney General’s office.

    We hope the above provides some guidance and welcome you to learn more at Give.org.

    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:    

    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

  • Wise Giving Wednesday: Will Donors Get Disaster Fatigue?

    Wise Giving Wednesday: Will Donors Get Disaster Fatigue?

    As this blog is being written, the news reports a 7.1 earthquake shook central Mexico including Mexico city and a category 4 hurricane, Maria, threatens Puerto Rico.  As details of the expected devastation emerge, we brace ourselves for images of more pain, suffering and the rush to rescue victims of these tragedies. Charitable relief organizations will quickly rally to address these disasters and donors will respond to help.

    These latest events, however, coming so soon after the horrendous impacts of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, raise the question of whether donors will eventually suffer disaster fatigue?  The donating public has demonstrated time and time again that their generosity seems ever present but at some point relief organizations may be concerned whether that well will begin to run dry.  It is difficult to recall when so many disasters have occurred in a close period of time.

    Another potential concern is that as we enter the last quarter of the year which includes the holiday giving season, many charities are counting on the generosity of contributors to support their causes during the most active time for giving. Past experience has shown that donors will continue to fund their favorites as well as other charities during the holiday season, despite earlier tragedy fundraising. Let’s hope that is the case this time as well.  

    All of this, in our view, points to the increasing importance of checking out charities before donating to ensure that your hard earned dollars are going to trustworthy organizations. Visit Give.org to find out if a charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

     As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to provide a video that features Keith Laughlin, President of  Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a BBB Accredited Charity.) This organization partners with communities to transform unused railroad corridors into multi-use trails that protect landscapes, revitalize local economies and give Americans the opportunity to lead healthy, active lives. 

     

    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