Would you buy a car without a thorough vetting? For most the answer is no. So why donate to a charity without a proper investigation? Last month we posted a list of the main questions to ask before you donate. But as the end of the year approaches, many potential donors tell us that they …
Posts Tagged: donations
Today is #GivingTuesday
You may have seen this hashtag on your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram newsfeeds today. What is it all about? In response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday is a movement to create a global day of giving to kick off the holiday season. New York’s 92nd Street Y was the catalyst for the movement …
What to Ask Before You Write a Check
Do you know what to ask a charity before you make a donation? Especially with large donations, donors should undergo some level of due diligence before handing over a check. Many donors look at an organization’s website and may even review its Forms 990, but is that enough? The Wall Street Journal recently confronted this …
How to Best Help Survivors of Typhoon Haiyan
Following the devastation wrought by Typhoon Haiyan, many are trying to figure out the most effective way to help. We’ll cut to the chase: it’s money. Often at times of disaster people want to donate new and used clothing, canned foods, and building supplies. Typhoon survivors need shelter, medicine, and food – NOW. They don’t …
Save Your Co-Mingling for Happy Hour
Thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters, we have a great example of how not to spend government money. A government audit recently concluded that the organization can’t properly account for any of the $19.4 million of Justice Department funding it received. These tax dollars were provided to the organization as restricted funds, in other words, …
America's Most Wanted: Charities Edition
The Tampa Bay Times recently ran a series on what it and The Center for Investigative Reporting describe as the nation’s 50 worst charities. These include nonprofits whose fundraisers earn up to 98% of every dollar earned and whose insiders make millions of dollars per year. The articles also admonish charity regulators for not doing …