Format: Article

Wise Giving Wednesday: US Olympic Swimmers Controversy & Charities
The allegations surrounding the behavior of Ryan Lochte and other Olympic swimmers during a stop at a gas station in Rio created an international embarrassment. It’s a sad result for these athletes who not only managed to tarnish their own reputations but raised questions about the professionalism of Americans participating in the Olympic games. Media reports reveal that major corporations will not renew their advertising ties with Lochte regarding promotions of their athletic wear and other products. In turn, one of the other swimmers agreed to a settlement with the Brazilian government and will donate approximately $10,000 to a designated charity.

This scenario, however, provides a helpful cautionary lesson for charities seeking to gain attention by engaging celebrities to advocate their cause or assist with fundraising efforts. A famous personality can help move the public spotlight to feature the charity’s efforts but can also harm the organization’s perceived trust if the celebrity gets in trouble. While organizations will do their best to vet potential partners, the unexpected can still occur and charities would be wise to have an action plan already in place should the relationship turn sour.

Donors also need to be realistic as well and not assume that questionable behavior of a celebrity is the responsibility of the charity that partnered with their famous friend, especially if the incident(s) were not previously demonstrated by the specified celebrity. In the meantime, donors should keep the following in mind:
- Don’t rely on a celebrity as the sole indicator of a charity’s reliability, check with outside sources such as BBB WGA.
- While some fundraising events featuring celebrities can be expensive, charities may value the public attention to their cause.
- Be wary of newly established charities that offer little beyond a celebrity connection.
- If a celebrity misbehaves, weigh the whole situation and especially how the charity handles it.
- While some altruistic celebrities have long histories with a charity, when you make a donation decision, the charity needs to gain your confidence as well.
On a separate note, as part of our Building Trust Video Series we are pleased to provide a video that features Lisa Marsh Ryerson, President of the AARP Foundation, a BBB Accredited Charity that seeks to serve vulnerable people ages 50 and older by creating and advancing solutions that help them secure the essentials – food, housing, income and personal connection.

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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Article on Building Trust Appears in Advancing Philanthropy Magazine
I was grateful and honored to submit an article about charity transparency that appears in the summer 2016 issue of Advancing Philanthropy, the quarterly magazine produced by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, one of the world’s oldest and largest membership organizations of fundraising professionals. In part, my intended message to the fundraising community was about the importance of viewing transparency as a vital tool that can help strengthen relationships with donors and build trust. Among other things, I also recommended that charities ensure that their appeals include clear descriptions about the intended use of requested funds, encourage feedback from contributors, and to take advantage of the communications offered in social media to expand charity outreach to its supporters. In turn, the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, which we use in evaluating charitable organizations, address transparency, in part, by requiring IRS Form 990s to be accessible on a soliciting charity’s website along with other basic facts about its program activities, governance and finances. As accountability means more than just having basic information available, our standards address a variety of other vital matters such as ensuring adequate board oversight of the charity’s operations and staff, calling for charities to produce a written report on its results / effectiveness and having privacy policies in place for donors and other information collected via its website. We believe our standards help charities earn the trust of contributors in a number of ways. Transparency is a first step but not the sole objective in achieving this end.
On a separate note, as part of our Building Trust Video Series we are pleased to provide a video featuring David Holdworth, Executive Director of Brother’s Brother Foundation (a BBB Accredited Charity) which seeks “to promote international health and education through the efficient and effective distribution and provision of donated medical, educational, agricultural and other resources.”
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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:
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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Did 2018 U.S. Tax Cuts Reduce Donations?
In the closing days for filing U.S. income tax returns by April 15^th, we are reminded of the Wise Giving Wednesday blog from last year that raised potential concerns about how U.S. tax law changes could impact giving. Specifically, some in the charitable sector were apprehensive that the standard deduction increase to $12,000 per individual or $24,000 per couple would reduce the incentive to donate since fewer households would itemize charitable donations on their returns. This point may not be fully known until data for the 2018 tax returns becomes available.

In the meantime, the Blackbaud Institute released its 2018 Charitable Giving Report on February 20, 2019 which showed a mixed result with larger charities doing well but smaller ones experiencing a reduction. As stated in the report, “Overall charitable giving in the United States increased by 1.5% on a year-over-year basis, with large organizations growing by 2.3%, medium sized growing by 2.0% and small nonprofits experiencing a decrease of 2.3%.” A more detailed analysis of giving in the U.S. is distributed by Giving USA in June of each year which is a collaborative effort of Giving USA Foundation, a public service initiative of The Giving Institute, and Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

For those who are still working on filing their 2018 U.S. Federal Income Tax and plan an itemizing their deductions, here are a few reminders:

Generally, only donations to organizations tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are deductible as charitable gifts.

Your donation may not be fully deductible if you received something of value in return (for example, tickets to a show.) If so, only the portion of your contribution that is above the fair market value of the item you received is deductible.

Making a donation directly to a needy individual, such as many of the crowdfunding postings, are generally not deductible as charitable gifts.

For additional guidance, see IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions.

Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring Linda Webb, Executive Director, Ally’s House (a BBB Accredited Charity) that provides financial assistance to the families of Oklahoma pediatric cancer patients. The financial assistance covers expenses such as medical costs, housing, transportation to and from treatment, and household utilities. It also sponsors a summer camp for patients between the ages of 9-17.

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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Labor Day Fundraising
As we approach Labor Day, many of us still associate that national holiday with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Labor Day Telethon which began in 1966 and was annually held until 2014. Although the glory days of an all-day telethon for charity are long past, the MDA event holds a strong and memorable place in fundraising as it helped cumulatively collect over $2 billion. So many of the most well-known show business personalities and musical acts appeared on the show that a list that appears on the MDA website is like a Hollywood history lesson. The other anniversary that brings this telethon to mind is that the world-famous comedian Jerry Lewis, who hosted the MDA telethon for 44 years, passed away one year ago on August 20, 2017.

While fundraising on television has evolved into much shorter segments that seek to motivate viewers to contribute, more charities have turned to social media to help spread messages and images about their favorite cause.

Although Labor Day may no longer be the donation magnet it once was for MDA, it marks the end of summer and in some ways begins the march towards the now global day of contributing: Giving Tuesday which will be held on November 27, 2018.

Video of the Week

To further spotlight Muscular Dystrophy Association and as part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video of Lynn O’Connor Vos, President and CEO, Muscular Dystrophy Association (a BBB Accredited Charity) which seeks to cure muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related diseases by funding worldwide research and provide comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy, and education.

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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Potential Impact of Coronavirus on Charities
As people in North America begin to prepare and worry about the spread of coronavirus, the impact is already being felt by the charitable community. On Monday, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that two charity trade organizations that are convening large conferences this month in Baltimore are being questioned about whether events will still be held. Both groups are going forward with their plans while advising attendees to take practical steps such as refraining from handshaking and washing hands thoroughly.

Since it is predicted that health conditions may take a turn for the worse, charities would be wise to develop contingency plans now for other planned meeting events and conferences taking place later in the year. This doesn’t necessarily mean complete cancellation but it might involve considering alternative video discussions, if necessary, so that participants can meet remotely and interact while still listening to planned lecturers and panel discussions.

Common sense advice also appeared in Fast Company magazine which included advice for businesses that can be just as applicable to charities. For example:
- Restricting or reducing employee travel to just those situations that must be handled in person
- Encouraging employees to stay home if they feel ill
- Developing alternative program delivery plans should staff be significantly reduced due to sick leave
- Approving more remote work alternatives for employees so they can work from home
In terms of a formal coronavirus contingency plan for charities, that will probably need to be individually tailored for a charity’s facts and circumstances. But some potential points might include identifying how the charity’s programs may need to be modified to address changing demands particularly if the charity is already addressing issues such as health, education or helping vulnerable individuals. In addition, private foundations may consider funding to help encourage charities to fill anticipated gaps not addressed by government agencies.

BBB Wise Giving Alliance also welcomes charities to send us copies of contingency plans as they develop them (send to rnisbet@give.org) so that we can learn and share helpful approaches.

Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video of Laurel Lyle, Vice President, Development, Operations and Fundraising Programs at Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (a BBB Accredited Charity) that seeks to accelerate research and focus exclusively on finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The majority of projects funded pursue a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of the genes and variants with the biggest impact on risk and timing of Alzheimer’s disease.

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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Helping to Address the Amazon Fire
Many donors are motivated to help address the horrible fires that are spreading in the Amazon, an area known for its oxygen supply, biodiversity, and indigenous population. The startling circumstances of these fires prompts some to reach for their credit cards to support environmental groups responding to the fires. As you consider giving, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance would like to share some suggestions:
1. Look past the attention getting photos on crowdfunding postings about the Amazon fire and identify whether the contributions being requested are just being passed along to a designated organization. If so, consider cutting out the middle man and make a direct donation to the designated organization on that organization’s website.
2. Consider what types of programs you want to support and seek out charities that match your interests. For example, some environmental charities are engaged in advocacy and public awareness, others might conduct scientific research, engage in reforestation, or offer long term plans to address the impact of such fires. Don’t assume what the organization does based solely on its name.
3. No matter which charity you choose, take the time to verify if they meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability by visiting Give.org.
Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring Pamela Landwirth, President, Give Kids the World (a BBB Accredited Charity) that manages an 84-acre resort in Central Florida that coordinates wish vacation packages for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families by providing resort accommodations and food service at GKTW Village and arranging the donation of theme park tickets and local transportation from supporting businesses.

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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: December 1 is #GivingTuesday
As mentioned in last week’s blog, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.), December 1, is #GivingTuesday, the designated day for donating to charities. As we give thanks this Thanksgiving week, please also remember the causes you care about and donate to trustworthy charities on December 1 and throughout the year. To help give with confidence, here is some advice.
1. Follow the five basic giving tips as provided in this press release. The most important thing to remember is to take the time to find out more about the organization before you donate.
2. Verify if your selected charity is trustworthy, by identifying if they meet all 20 of the holistic BBB Standards for Charity Accountability by accessing charity reports on Give.org
3. Help others learn the wise giving message by participating in a Thunderclapcampaign taking place on December 1 ^st, Giving Tuesday. For those of you who are unfamiliar a Thunderclap is a specific message that is blasted out all at once, automatically, on social media accounts. Just click on the following link choose the social media platform you would like to use (e.g., Twitter, etc.) and click “add my support.” https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/33760-give-wisely-on-givingtuesday?locale=en
Also, check out our full page ad in the December 1 print edition of USA Today that will feature of a listing of BBB WGA national charity seal holders and will encourage everyone to Give Wisely on #Giving Tuesday.

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide the following video that features Jim Stofan, Chief Operating Officer of Defenders of Wildlife (a BBB Accredited Charity) works to protect and restore imperiled species throughout North America by transforming policies and institutions and promoting solutions. Defenders promotes the conservation and restoration of North America’s vulnerable species through habitat preservation and restoration on public lands, securing greater wildlife conservation funding and defending and strengthening wildlife and public land management laws and policies.

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
July 17, 2020
BBB Wise Giving Alliance Offers Giving Tips Following Charleston Tragedy

Arlington, VA – June 18, 2015 – In the wake of the horrific shooting that killed nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, BBB Wise Giving Alliance is warning about the potential for fund raising scams, and is urging donors to be aware of the different circumstances that often emerge in tragedy-related philanthropy.

“The hate crime that is being called the ‘Charleston massacre’ is such a shocking and emotional event,” said Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance, the national charity monitoring arm of the Better Business Bureau. “Many people are going to want to donate to the families of the victims, the historic church, and the community. We are warning donors to be on the lookout for questionable solicitors and scammers, not to mention people who might have good intentions but no experience with charity fund raising.”

BBB Wise Giving Alliance urges donors to give thoughtfully and avoid those seeking to take advantage of the generosity of others. Here are BBB WGA’s tips for trusted giving:

1. Thoughtful Giving: Take the time to check out the charity to avoid wasting your generosity by donating to a questionable or poorly managed effort. The first request for a donation may not be the best choice. Be proactive and find trusted charities that are providing assistance.

2. State Government Registration: About 40 of the 50 states require charities to register with a state government agency (usually a division of the State Attorney General’s office) before they solicit for charitable gifts. If the charity is not registered, that may be a significant red flag.

3. Respecting Victims and Their Families: Organizations raising funds should get permission from the families to use either the names of the victims and/or any photographs of them. Some charities raising funds for the victims of previous shootings did not do this and were the subject of criticism from victims’ families.

4. How Will Donations Be Used? Watch out for vague appeals that don’t identify the intended use of funds. For example, how will the donations help victims’ families? Also, unless told otherwise, donors will assume that funds collected quickly in the wake of a tragedy will be spent just as quickly. See if the appeal identifies when the collected funds will be used

5. What if a Family Sets Up Its Own Assistance Fund? Some families may decide to set up their own assistance funds. Be mindful that such funds may not be set up as charities. Also, make sure that collected monies are received and administered by a third party such as a bank, CPA or lawyer. This will help provide oversight and ensure the collected funds are used appropriately (e.g., paying for funeral costs, counseling, and other tragedy-related needs.)

6. Advocacy Organizations: Tragedies that involve violent acts with firearms can also generate requests from a variety of advocacy organizations that address gun use. Donors can support these efforts as well but note that some of these advocacy groups are not tax exempt as charities. Also, watch out for newly created advocacy groups that will be difficult to check out.

7. Online Cautions: Never click on links to charities on unfamiliar websites or in texts or emails. These may take you to a lookalike website where you will be asked to provide personal financial information or to click on something that downloads harmful malware into your computer. Don’t assume that charity recommendations on Facebook, blogs or other social media have already been vetted.

8. Financial Transparency: After funds are raised for a tragedy, it is even more important 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 the audited financial statements are available sometime in the future.

9. Newly Created or Established Organizations: This is a personal giving choice, but an established charity will more likely have the experience to quickly address the circumstances and have a track record that can be evaluated. A newly formed organization may be well-meaning but will be difficult to check out and may not be well managed.

10. Tax Deductibility: Not all organizations collecting funds to assist this tragedy are tax exempt as charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donors can support these other entities but keep this in mind if they want to take a deduction for federal income tax purposes. In addition, contributions that are donor-restricted to help a specific individual/family are not deductible as charitable donations, even if the recipient organization is a charity.

ABOUT BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE: BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB WGA) is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of nationally-soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 holistic standards that address charity governance, effectiveness reporting, finances, fund raising, appeal accuracy, and other issues. Learn more about the 20 BBB Charity Standards and about local charity review at local Better Business Bureaus 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 2014, people turned to BBB more than 165 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 5.4 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org.

July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Raising Funds for Schools
As August completes its march into September, children begin returning to school. While parents are currently focused on filling their children’s backpacks with school supplies, many also recognize they will soon be asked to help raise money for class projects, trips and other activities not covered by existing school funding. These efforts can range anywhere from selling things (chocolate, gift wrapping, candy, etc.) to holding contests / charity events. If so, here are some tips to consider to help you manage the activity while also being accountable:
1. Set specific goals or plans before you start to raise funds. What is the total amount needed and how much time do you have to raise it?
2. Make sure the school informs parents either online or in hard copy with any needed instructions about the campaign.
3. Review the fundraising promotions created to make sure they accurately and adequately explain the nature of the school activities being funded.
4. Identify the volunteer or parent who will be in charge in keeping track of collecting and recording of donations received.
5. Inform parents and other volunteers about how much was raised.
6. Appreciate the generosity of contributors by sending thank you notes to them.
7. Create a feedback form that will help identify needed improvements to do even a better job next time.
There are a number of online giving platforms (e.g., DonorsChoose.org, Adoptaclassroom.org, Pledgecents.com) that help raise money for classroom projects. A school or teacher may consider posting a request on such sites to raise money for specific activities or needs. As always, we encourage contributors to visit Give.org to see if a charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. If you don’t see a report on a charity of interest, fill out this form to initiate an information request by BBB Wise Giving Alliance: https://www.give.org/charity-inquiry

Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring Jim Lighthizer, President of American Battlefield Trust (a BBB Accredited Charity), which works to preserve America’s battlegrounds. The organization integrates the land it preserves into public parks to help educate visitors on the events that occurred there.

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
July 17, 2020
Wise Giving Wednesday: Handling Complaints About Charities
Most of the activity on the Give.org website comes from individuals seeking to verify a charity’s trustworthiness before they make a donation. This is accomplished by reviewing our reports to see if the subject nationally soliciting charity meets the 20 holistic BBB Standards for Charity Accountability . In turn, 57 of the 113 Better Business Bureaus report on regionally soliciting charities.

While such inquiries comprise the vast majority of our charity activity, from time to time, charities can be the subject of public complaint. For national charities, the most common type of complaint consists of individuals seeking to be removed from the mailing list of a charity. At the regional level, complaints can range from concerns with a purchase at a charity thrift store to concerns raised about a pet adopted from an animal shelter. Whatever the cause, our procedure is to forward the complaint to the subject charity and ask that they respond to the individual with a copy to either BBB WGA (or the applicable BBB).

For complaints about national charities, the following form can be completed online: https://www.give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity/. Complaints about regionally soliciting charities can be initiated by completing the following form for local complaints: https://www.bbb.org/consumer-complaints/file-a-complaint/get-started

In addition, Standard 20 of the BBB Charity Standards calls for charities to promptly respond to and act on complaints brought to their attention by the BBB WGA and/or Better Business Bureaus.

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide the following video that features Kelly Browning, Chief Executive Officer of American Institute for Cancer Research (a BBB Accredited Charity) which funds research on the relationship of nutrition, physical activity and weight management to cancer risk as well as to interpret scientific data and to educate people about reducing their cancer risk.

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
July 17, 2020