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Wise Giving Guide

The Wise Giving Guide is published three times a year to help donors make more informed giving decisions. Each issue includes a cover story on a topic related to charity accountability and a compilation of the latest national charity evaluation conclusions completed by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

To order a free hard copy of the latest Wise Giving Guide, complete the form on the following link.

You can now download the full version of the latest Wise Giving Guide! Please note that the summary listing in the Wise Giving Guide reflects report results as of July 22, 2025. We encourage you to always verify a charity's current evaluation status here.

Wise Giving Guide Fall 2025: BBB Charting a Future for Social Good

This issue explores how the charitable sector can navigate the rise of Artificial Intelligence with purpose and accountability. It highlights a landmark event co-hosted by BBB Wise Giving Alliance, GoFundMe, The Salvation Army, and Institute for the Future, where charity leaders gathered to forecast the social impact of AI from 2025 to 2035. Featuring forecasts, expert insights and future-facing reflections, this Guide challenges charities and donors to shape technology use with empathy, equity, and mission-driven values.

Wise Giving Guide Spring/Summer 2025: BBB Charity Standards Revision Project

This issue describes BBB Wise Giving Alliance's plan to revise the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability with the help of a 20-member Advisory Committee comprised of experts from across the charitable sector. The Guide covers the history of the Standards, the importance of due process in charity evaluation, the differences between government regulations and voluntary standards, the impact of Standards over time. It also shares results from our Donor Trust report research on current public perceptions on charity accountability issues.

Wise Giving Guide Winter/Holiday 2024: Donor Handbook

This issue includes a chart with a breakdown of the $557.16 billion in total 2023 giving in the United States from the 2024 Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy, nine recommendations from The Generosity Commission to address the decline in U.S. households donating to nonprofits, and key tips for balancing emotion and reason in your giving decisions.

Wise Giving Guide Spring/Summer 2024: Cause-Related Marketing

This issue explores cause-related marketing which takes place when a promotion for a good or service announces that some of the purchase price will benefit a charity. This has become a popular way to help raise money and awareness for various charities and causes.

Wise Giving Guide Fall 2024: Public Eye On Charity Accountability

This issue features key survey results from our most recent Donor Trust Report on public accountability priorities. As explained, truthfulness of charity solicitation appeals, and adequate protection of donor information, emerged as top accountability priorities – a reflection of the times we live in.

Donor Handbook 2023

Advice for donors includes the latest total giving statistics, cautions on 100% claims in appeals, contributing to charity at the checkout, and charity salary misperceptions.

Spring/Summer 2023: Charity Monitoring Worldwide

This issue includes information about a trade association of charity monitoring organizations from around the world, estimates how many people work for nonprofits in the U.S., identifies the portion of total donations made online, and describes how to interpret the meaning of IRS charitable tax-exempt status.

Winter/Holiday 2022 Issue: Donor Handbook

This issue includes information and advice for donors on several topics: statistics on total giving in 2021, tips on disaster relief donations, charity mailing list removal, highlights of Give.org Special Donor Trust Report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and assessing new charities.

Fall 2022 Issue: Crypto-Philanthropy

This issue discusses new technologies such as blockchain and new ways of giving such as cryptocurrency and their growing importance in philanthropy. It also describes how our GiveSafely.io donation platform uses these tools to help offer a way to donate to trusted charities.

Spring/Summer Issue 2022: Ukraine Charity Relief

This issue includes tips for donors wanting to support Ukrainians – to help those in need in Ukraine and/or the refugees that have fled to neighboring countries. It also contains a list of BBB Accredited Charities (i.e., those that meet BBB Charity Standards) that are raising money for these purposes.

Fall 2021: A Look at Our Donor Trust Report on Charity Impact

This issue includes highlights of the Give.org Donor Trust Report on Charity Impact, a description of the GiveSafely.io donation platform that secures donor data with blockchain technology, and information on the total 2020 donation statistics issued by Giving USA

Keeping an Eye on Donor Trust

This issue explores how the charitable sector can navigate the rise of Artificial Intelligence with purpose and accountability. It highlights a landmark event co-hosted by BBB Wise Giving Alliance, GoFundMe, The Salvation Army, and Institute for the Future, where charity leaders gathered to forecast the social impact of AI from 2025 to 2035. Featuring forecasts, expert insights and future-facing reflections, this Guide challenges charities and donors to shape technology use with empathy, equity, and mission-driven values.

Sexual Harassment and Donor Trust

An overview of our Donor Trust Special Report looking at how donors react to reports of sexual harassment in the charities they support.

A Time of Need

Summarizing the results of our survey of charities on the impact of COVID-19 on the charitable sector in the early days of the pandemic.

Days of Giving

In this edition, we take a look at days set aside to raise awareness of giving to charities, such as #GivingTuesday.

Donor Handbook 2019

Advice for donors, including information on the importance of charity annual reports, protecting personal data, participating in charity walk fundraisers, and volunteer vacations.

Military & Veterans Charities

Exploring the historical roots of veterans charities, recent government regulatory activities protecting the public from misleading appeals, and how to identify trustworthy organizations.

Future Fundraising

Exploring new fundraising methods made possible by advancements in technology and communications including: cryptocurrency, virtual reality, social media and peer-to-peer.

Better Together: Charities and Collaboration

Featuring a summary of an article series developed by BBB WGA in partnership with and hosted by Stanford Social Innovation Review that centers around the theme of collaboration in the nonprofit sector. 

Donor Handbook

In this issue, we offer advice for donors on 7 common topics from opting out of charity solicitations to tips on how to give wisely.