There's so many flimflam charities where the executives live the highlife and still call their organizations "nonprofit", they throw fancy charity balls with fancy dinners and dancing and I think 0.1 pennies out of a dollar trickles through to the needy.
How can you tell what is what? Thanks and Happy Holidays!
2007-12-22 12:07:49 · 6 answers · asked by SQD 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Community Service
Charities provide programs and services, NOT money, to those they serve. For instance, homeless shelters don't hand out money to homeless people -- they provide shelter and services. They provide professional counseling on alcohol and drug issues, government programs, housing, finding a job, saving money, and on and on. That's where donations go to.
Fundraisers, in the form of concerts, dinner and dancing, are usually done through sponsors, not your donation dollars -- the hotel donates the room, for instance, or a corporate donor pays for the rental. These fundraisers are essential in reaching potential donors.
The term "nonprofit" means that the organization does not pay its board of directors (those fically responsible for the organization), and does not pay a share of the end-of-the-year surplus, if any, to staff, in addition to staff salaries. If at the end of the year the nonprofit has money in the bank, it goes back into the nonproit's expenses for the following year.
Nonprofits must pay their staff, pay to rent their offices, pay for furniture, pay for equipment, copy machines, paper, Internet access, parking spaces for volunteers, and on and on.
If you are concerned about a specific nonprofit's fundraising activities, ask them if they will be providing records to the public regarding how much an event costs vs. how much money it raised. Better yet, volunteer at such an event, and see for yourself just what goes into such -- I think you will be VERY surprised at what you find out.
2007-12-23 01:31:39 · answer #1 · answered by Jayne says READ MORE BOOKS 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that this information is disclosed and maybe available through some agency. I do know that the Masonic Charities have an extremely low overhead.
2007-12-22 20:12:21 · answer #2 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i can not answer that ,but you are right about the highlife that some live and it makes you wonder.since 911 i do not give to charities.i do however check with churches and help that way,you can always find someway to help a person in need and that way you know where your money is going.
2007-12-22 20:15:31 · answer #3 · answered by alabama 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.charitynavigator.org/
This is a website that rates charities. It tells you things like what percentage of donations they use on programs, fundraising, CEO pay, etc., which I find very useful. It doesn't list all charities, but it has most of the popular ones. It has a lot of other useful information, as well.
2007-12-22 20:12:26 · answer #4 · answered by Somebody else 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you go to the charity's web site, they should have a link to their annual report, which they are required by law to make available to the public. This report will include how much money they've taken in, where they got it from and how they spent it. If it's not on their site, or they don't have a site, you can contact them directly and request one.
2007-12-22 20:14:31 · answer #5 · answered by bainaashanti 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If I donate I want it to do good for those in need
2013-12-20 09:32:02 · answer #6 · answered by Kat Grego Tasillo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋