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‘Scam PACs’ Are On the Rise: Don’t Confuse Them for Legitimate Charities

June 17, 2020

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‘Scam PACs’ Are On the Rise: Don’t Confuse Them for Le...

Jun 17, 2020

Political action committees, also known as PACs, are not the same thing as public charities, but some questionable actors from the charity world may be confusing donors into thinking otherwise. These individuals appear to be opera...

Political action committees, also known as PACs, are not the same thing as public charities, but some questionable actors from the...

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COVID-19: The Struggle & the Aftermath

Apr 15, 2020

A Message from CharityWatch’s Executive Director, Laurie Styron: In times of tragedy we feel a deep need to make sense of an often chaotic world and to find order within it by acting upon it in some way. Donating to charit...

A Message from CharityWatch’s Executive Director, Laurie Styron: In times of tragedy we feel a deep need to make sense of ...

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Collapse of Third-Party Giving Platform Leaves Charities Unp...

Oct 16, 2019

“Leaving New York charitable donors uncertain if their donations will ever make it to their intended cause is unacceptable,” said New York’s Attorney General in an October 4, 2019 press release announcing a lawsuit filed aga...

“Leaving New York charitable donors uncertain if their donations will ever make it to their intended cause is unacceptable,” s...

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Is the United Way Relevant in the Internet Age?

May 14, 2019

In the Internet age where giving directly to charity only requires a few clicks of a mouse or touches on a smartphone, is the United Way with its workplace giving campaigns even necessary? While the mechanics of directing money to...

In the Internet age where giving directly to charity only requires a few clicks of a mouse or touches on a smartphone, is the Unit...

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How To Check If a Charity Respects Your Privacy

Oct 19, 2018

Before you make a charitable donation, do you consider how the charity might make use of your personal information? In other words, do you check for a donor privacy policy? Did you realize that some charities don't have a written ...

Before you make a charitable donation, do you consider how the charity might make use of your personal information? In other words...

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Don't Be Fooled By Name Rip-off Charity Scams

Jun 15, 2018

How much harm could there really be in confusing the names of two charities? Confusing a poorly-run charity for a well-run charity is one thing, but imagine how disheartening it would be if the entire amount of what you thought wa...

How much harm could there really be in confusing the names of two charities? Confusing a poorly-run charity for a well-run charity...

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Sorting Out Nonprofit Pairs

Apr 17, 2018

Donors are often confused by nonprofit pairs. These are related nonprofit organizations whose names often look very similar but that are legally separate entities. Such groups often share employees and other resources -- in some c...

Donors are often confused by nonprofit pairs. These are related nonprofit organizations whose names often look very similar but th...

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Crowdfunding Popularity Continues to Soar Despite Risks to D...

Jan 20, 2017

Several years ago most people probably had never heard the word "crowdfunding." Unfortunately, as the popularity of crowdfunding continues to soar, so does the potential for fraudulent or fake fundraising campaigns...

Several years ago most people probably had never heard the word "crowdfunding." Unfortunately, as the popularity of crowdfund...

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Giving Pitfalls and Traps

Apr 07, 2016

Listen to CharityWatch's president discuss on Iowa Public Radio pitfalls and traps that donors may unwittingly succumb to.

Listen to CharityWatch's president discuss on Iowa Public Radio pitfalls and traps that donors may unwittingly succumb to....

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Newsviews: Charity Donations

Nov 30, 2015

In these two videos CharityWatch president, Daniel Borochoff, offers advice on what donors should consider before giving money to charity....

In these two videos CharityWatch president, Daniel Borochoff, offers advice on what donors should consider before giving money to ...

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Financial Sense Podcast featuring Daniel Borochoff on Wise G...

Nov 19, 2015

Listen to a 30 minute podcast about how you can accomplish more with your charitable donations and also how to avoid getting ripped off....

Listen to a 30 minute podcast about how you can accomplish more with your charitable donations and also how to avoid getting rippe...

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Tips for Giving Wisely

Jun 01, 2015

With about 1.7 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S., competition for donations has become intense. CharityWatch suggests the following pointers to help avoid the bad actors and give more effectively...

With about 1.7 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S., competition for donations has become intense. CharityWatch suggests th...

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Human Rights Charities -- What's the Difference?

Apr 14, 2015

Human rights are the inalienable rights of every human being regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or nationality. Due to the wide range of objectives that fall under the definition of human rights, many human righ...

Human rights are the inalienable rights of every human being regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or nationality....

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Solicitation Fails to Mention Government's Huge Role in Help...

Jan 28, 2015

A CharityWatch member recently forwarded us a solicitation from the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens. The letter seeks contributions for the local "Police Family Survivors Fund" to provide...

A CharityWatch member recently forwarded us a solicitation from the American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens. The le...

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A Donor's Guide to Serving the Needs of Veterans and the Mil...

Jan 26, 2015

Over 3.8 million war veterans were receiving disability compensation from the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department as of March 2014, according to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics . This is out of over 21.6 mill...

Over 3.8 million war veterans were receiving disability compensation from the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department as of March 2014, a...

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Don't Be Misled by Deceptive Charity Efficiency Claims

Jan 15, 2015

As a donor, which of the two claims below would be more likely to persuade you to make a charitable contribution? ...

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The GuideStar Exchange Program: Sometimes Gold, Silver and B...

May 01, 2014

If we see a gold insignia associated with a charity, that charity must be a highly worthy one to which to donate, right? Unfortunately, this may not always be true, and in the case of the GuideStar Exchange program, even unworthy,...

If we see a gold insignia associated with a charity, that charity must be a highly worthy one to which to donate, right? Unfortuna...

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Know Your Options When Giving to the Red Cross

Oct 01, 2013

In the wake of any humanitarian disaster that hits the U.S., the American Red Cross usually takes the lead in providing immediate and long-term disaster relief services. The Red Cross, though, has not been immune from criticism re...

In the wake of any humanitarian disaster that hits the U.S., the American Red Cross usually takes the lead in providing immediate ...

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Gay/Atheist Controversy Strikes Scouting: Guide to Finding a...

May 01, 2013

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has come under increasing fire for its ban on gay scouts and scout leaders. Many parties have urged the organization to revise its policies on discrimination based on sexual orientation...

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has come under increasing fire for its ban on gay scouts and scout leaders. Many parties have urge...

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Think! Before You JustGive

Aug 01, 2012

JustGive is one of a growing number of websites that, for a reasonable fee of 4.5% per contribution, processes donations for people wishing to give to charities online. This is seen as a convenient service by many donors who like ...

JustGive is one of a growing number of websites that, for a reasonable fee of 4.5% per contribution, processes donations for peopl...

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Don't Judge a Not-For-Profit by Its Profits

Aug 01, 2012

Unlike for-profit businesses, charities do not exist for the purpose of accumulating assets and turning profits to enrich their shareholders. So when judging a charity's financial stability, it is not the case that the charity...

Unlike for-profit businesses, charities do not exist for the purpose of accumulating assets and turning profits to enrich their sh...

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Eight Rungs of the Giving Ladder

May 17, 2012

The concept of giving anonymously without knowing the recipient can be traced back to ancient Israel. Beggars would regularly congregate next to a wall of a courtyard, and donors, being aware of this, would face the opposite direc...

The concept of giving anonymously without knowing the recipient can be traced back to ancient Israel. Beggars would regularly cong...

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Fundraising Reduction Notice

May 17, 2012

When you give money to a charity or nonprofit group, enclose a note requesting that the organization not rent, sell or exchange your name, address and giving history with anyone else. You can make future contributions contingent o...

When you give money to a charity or nonprofit group, enclose a note requesting that the organization not rent, sell or exchange yo...

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What You Need to Know to Donate Safely Online

May 17, 2012

Donating online is a quick and convenient way to give to charity, but it also comes with drawbacks that donors need to be aware of. To help you donate online both effectively and safely, CharityWatch provides the following pointer...

Donating online is a quick and convenient way to give to charity, but it also comes with drawbacks that donors need to be aware of...

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