With 45 days to go before 2016 ends, most charities in America are working hard to make fundraising goals and encourage greater giving during the most active time for charity donations.  Some organizations receive about one-third of their overall contributions during the last quarter of the year.  There are a lot of motivating factors that converge to create these fundraising incentives at this time, including the influence of the holidays to remember those in need, the special promotions such as Giving Tuesday – the designated day of giving that takes place the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, and the closing window for those in the U.S. who wish to take a tax deduction on their federal income taxes.

There is more than enough time, however, to make careful choices about donations including verifying the trustworthiness of charities by visiting Give.org to find out if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Our standards provide a comprehensive review of a variety of issues including charity governance, results reporting, finances, website disclosures and appeal accuracy.

We also encourage contributors to check that a charity is properly registered to solicit in their state by visiting the website of the appropriate state charity registration office, which is usually a division of the state’s office of the Attorney General or the Secretary of State’s office.  About 40 states require such registration in order for a charity to solicit funds.

We encourage donors to plan ahead and not wait until midnight on December 31 ^st to make their charitable giving choices.  And, consider making a larger contribution once you have verified your trust in the charity you want to support.

On a separate note, as part of our Building Trust Video Series we are pleased to provide a video that features Mark Bergel, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director of  A Wider Circle (a  BBB Accredited Charity).  A Wider Circle is an organization that works to end poverty for individuals and families by collecting and distributing donated goods, providing professional attire, job preparedness courses, and a well-baby program. 

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