Feb 19, 2025
BBB Wise Giving Alliance and state regulators both aim to help the public make informed giving decisions but use different tools to achieve this goal.
As a standards-based charity evaluator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance shares some common interests with federal and state government regulators of charities. We are all seeking to help the donating public make wise giving decisions but use different tools to accomplish that objective. There is a significant distinction between legal requirements and voluntary standards (e.g., the BBB Charity Standards). One complies with regulations because the law requires it, but one meets a standard if one chooses to follow it.
Government agencies also can require charities to submit requested materials through annual charity registration, and, if needed, subpoenas for additional information to complete their analysis and/or investigations. In contrast, BBB WGA relies on charities to voluntarily furnish requested information and complete an extensive online questionnaire so that trained and experienced BBB WGA analysts can assess if a charity meets the BBB charity standards and prepare a resulting report after corresponding with the subject charity. In addition, BBB Charity Standards address issues that go beyond what the law requires of charities.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance updated the section of the Give.org website which includes a summary of Government Settlement Agreements and Actions Against Charities. This updated page covers final actions on charity cases during 2023 and 2024 that were undertaken by state government authorities. The cases described are based on information from the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO) which is an association of state offices (attorneys general, secretaries of state and others) charged with the regulation and oversight of charities. Other final actions of interest that come to our attention may also be added to this section.
We encourage the contributing public to seek the information they need to make the best possible contribution choice. We hope the referenced summary of state government settlements will be helpful but also urge donors remember the concerns described in these summaries are exceptions and do not reflect the behavior of the overall charitable sector.
This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features a discussion with Teresa Tyson, M.D., President & CEO, St. Mary’s Health Wagon (a BBB Accredited Charity) that has a nurse-managed health clinic consisting of stationary and four mobile clinics, free of charge to patients. It provides primary and specialty health care services to the medically underserved people in the impoverished mountains of Central Appalachia.
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.
.jpg?sfvrsn=8073f1a5_0)
