During the March 2021 meeting of the Board of Directors of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Ambassador Al Lenhardt, a long-time friend and supporter of the accountability mission of this organization, announced that he was stepping down from the Board. We very much appreciate his guidance over the years and will miss his insightful advice and deep understanding of the challenges facing the charitable sector. Prior to joining the Board, Ambassador Lenhardt served as Acting Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), President of the National Crime Prevention Council, and as Chief Operating Officer of the Council on Foundations.

In addition to the ones cited above, his career included a variety of achievements and positions. In 2009, President Obama appointed him as U.S. Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania where he served until 2013. He previously served as, and became the first African-American appointed as, an officer of the United States Congress in his capacity as the Senate’s Sergeant-at-Arms during 2001. His career in the United States Army included his service as Chief of Staff of the Director for the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, Director of Personnel and Installation Management for the largest unit of the U.S. Army, head of the military police, and finally Commanding General of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.

Ambassador Lenhardt’s expertise also extend to charity monitoring. Prior to 2001, he served on the Governing Board of the National Charities Information Bureau (NCIB), a nonprofit charity reporting organization that was founded in 1918 in New York City. In 2001, this organization merged with the Philanthropic Advisory Service of the national BBB office (Council of Better Business Bureaus, now known as International Association of Better Business Bureaus). The merged entity was renamed as the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Ambassador Lenhardt joined the BBB WGA Board in its initial year and after his term expired, later re-joined the board in 2018.

In honor of his outstanding service to this organization, the BBB WGA Board passed a resolution stating that Ambassador Lenhardt will now serve as Director Emeritus to the Board of Directors effective March 11, 2021. In this capacity, he will be a nonvoting member that continues to advise the organization. BBB Wise Giving Alliance very much appreciates Ambassador Lenhardt’s leadership and looks forward to his future guidance and counsel.

Click below to listen to my two-part interview with Ambassador Lenhardt, discussing his perspectives and career.  These interviews are part of our Heart of Giving podcast, which you can subscribe to on your preferred podcast platform.

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:

• Foundation for Children in Need
• Near East Foundation
• Operation Serve

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