With total revenues of about $3 billion, more than 450 chapters in all 50 states, over 25,000 paid staff members, 400,000 volunteers and responding to nearly 70,000 disasters large and small each year, the American Red Cross is one of the largest American charities in existence and one of the most recognized charity brands.  By any measure, the management and oversight of such a huge institution can appear daunting.  To strengthen its ability to meet this challenge, the Red Cross embarked on a major reorganization in recent years that changed its structure and relationship with local affiliates. 

Prior to 2008, the Red Cross had as many as 3,500 chapters each with its own board of directors, accounting systems, bank accounts, email platforms and purchasing. The local executive reported to his/her own local board and there was little resource sharing among chapters as each raised funds to meet their own budgets.  Five years later, after a major consolidation that was completed in 2013, the Red Cross became a single managed institution with just one board of directors at the national level, chapter consolidation, centralization of IT functions, marketing, finances and back office operations and a change in focus at the local level which was able to devote more attention to the communities being served. The changes implemented provided more flexibility in addressing local needs as a result of this greater coordination, among other things. 

With this background, we are pleased to provide the following video of an interview with Gail McGovern, President & CEO of the American Red Cross.  Ms. McGovern helped lead the reorganization described above and continues to oversee one of America’s largest charities. 

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:

• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
• CARE USA
• Catching the Dream
• charity:water

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://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