Hey there teammates,
Here are parts of an article on vetting charities that I copied from Consumer Reports along with links to the charity watchdogs mentioned in the article. I’d also recommend checking out the work of Nicholas Kristof. He’s a well known journalist and author, so chances are he’s already on your radar. But if not, his blog and column for The New York Times are great sources for learning about worthy causes and organizations doing great work around the world.
The easiest way to research national charities is with the three major charity watchdogs: Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. They rate charities based on how they spend their money, protect donor privacy, govern themselves, and more. Some have tools to sort and search for organizations and reviews. They use somewhat different criteria and don't always agree, so check out a charity with all three groups. (Only CharityWatch requires a donation for full access, although it provides useful information without one.) The watchdogs don't always rate the same charities, so look for a charity that has high ratings by at least two of them. Sometimes the BBB Wise Alliance says it didn't rate a charity because the group did not provide the information necessary for an evaluation. Take that as bad sign. It could mean the group knows it wouldn't meet the watchdog's standards. In any case, if a group wants public support, it should cooperate with the watchdogs.
Generally the watchdogs don't rate religious organizations, although you might find some listed, especially if they solicit money from the general public.
Some additional advice:
Verify tax-exempt status. If you're not sure about whether donations to a particular charity are tax deductible (don't assume they are), confirm a group's tax-exempt status by visiting the IRS website.
Request privacy. If you don't want to be bothered by endless fundraising appeals, tell groups you support that you don't want your name and contact information to be sold to other nonprofits. You can also ask the groups not to send you further appeal letters or e-mail. Check the charity's privacy policy before giving.
Best regards,
Susan
http://www.charitynavigator.org https://www.charitywatch.org/home http://give.org
