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12/30/2016 6:22 am  #1


Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers they hire

By William La Jeunesse  Published December 29, 2016  FoxNews.com

American households, on average, donate almost $3,000 a year to charity. About one-third is given in December, much in the last 5 days. But whether motivated by compassion or a tax deduction, roughly of half of individual donations do not go to charity, but the solicitors and telemarketers they hire.

"There's fundraising contracts where up to 85 to 90 percent of the money is going to the professional fundraising company," said Daniel Borochoff of Charity Watch.

To test that, Fox News examined three years of audits generated by the California Registry of Charitable Trusts, a listing of many national campaigns. In hundreds of cases, charities raised thousands but got little back -- and some actually lost money.


For example, in 2013 the NAACP hired a telemarketer to raise money. The company raised $307,000 but spent $335,000, leaving the NAACP with a $28,000 loss. The NAACP declined to comment.

In 2014, the Covenant House for at-risk kids raised $66,072 but the charity got billed for $209,000, a loss of more than $140,000. In a statement, the Covenant House said it used a telemarketer on a "pilot basis... to convert current Covenant House donors to monthly donors" but ended the program in 2016 to focus on "web and online" giving "which is even more cost efficient than telemarketing."

In 2015, the Environmental Defense Fund ran seven fundraising campaigns. Two made nothing and four lost money, costing the non-profit more than $60,000. In a statement, the EDF said campaigns we referenced were designed to "attract new supporters," not raise funds.

These charities were not alone. In 2015, 24 percent of U.S. charities took home less than 20 cents on the dollar and 21 percent lost money altogether. Figures in the two previous years were nearly identical.

"At Charity Watch we think it shouldn't cost more than $35 to raise a hundred dollars. That's our standard for reasonableness," said Borochoff.

But that is a high bar. Over the last three years, almost 80 percent of all charities failed to keep at least 65 percent of their donations. But it's not illegal. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot regulate how much of any donation actually goes to a charity, leaving consumers on their own.

Experts say to check the ratings systems of either Charity Watch or Charity Navigator before giving. Also, the Pennsylvania and California Attorneys General Offices keep multiple years of records on file of most national charities. Otherwise, analysts say to consider following these recommendations.

1.  Don't give to charities you don't know.

2.  Don't be fooled by a familiar names.

3.  Don't be pressured.

4.  Don't give cash or credit card numbers. Write a check.

5.  Don't give over the phone.

6.  Pick a charity you know and trust and give to it directly.


We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists. 
 

12/30/2016 10:36 am  #2


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

I am plagued almost daily by robo calls for donations for the Sierra Club from Telefund, Inc.  The one time I answered  the call and asked they please stop calling me I was tossed a guilt trip by being asked if I didn't want to protect the environment.  Now, it looks like I am stuck forever receiving daily calls from them.  I do support the organization but only through subscription to their magazine.

 

12/30/2016 1:54 pm  #3


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

Flowergirl, do you have caller id?

 

12/30/2016 3:51 pm  #4


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

Fred--I do which is why I know who the caller is.  I know not to answer robo calls but I did this one time and now I'm stuck with them forever.  

 

12/30/2016 6:09 pm  #5


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

 I know not to answer robo calls but I did this one time and now I'm stuck with them forever.  -  Flowergirl

I understand.  Been there, done that.

My response is, "I do not make commitments over the phone.  Send the information about your organization or cause to me via snail mail.  I'll look it over and check it out and if it is legitimate, I'll consider making a contribution."  Nine times out of ten I get no response and they fade away.


 

 

12/30/2016 7:43 pm  #6


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

Good response but then they--someone--has your email address and that can be almost as bad as the phone calls.  I know just in the past few days I'm receiving some really strange emails from sources I do not know nor do I have any recollection of doing business with.  I'm very protective of my email address and cell number and when asked if I have them my stock answer is yes, but you can't have it, depending on who's doing the asking.

 

12/31/2016 5:51 pm  #7


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

you may just have to get a phone that allos you to block them... my blocked numbers list is larger than my contact list now!!!
 

 

12/31/2016 7:55 pm  #8


Re: Many charities across the US giving up your money to the marketers

Well, I absently overlooked the end of the phone contract with Frontier (can't get any other service here in the sticks!) so I'm stuck until 2018 but after that no more landline.

 

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