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A Happy Ramadan From CharityWatch

March 22, 2023

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Undercover Investigation Reveals How Easy It Is to Set Up Ph...

Apr 01, 2004

The American Institute of Philanthropy worked with ABC News on a yearlong investigation of the charity business. Rhonda Schwartz, a producer for ABC News, went undercover to see how easy it would be to set up a phony charity...

The American Institute of Philanthropy worked with ABC News on a yearlong investigation of the charity business. Rhonda Schwartz, ...

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Supreme Court Rules that Fundraisers Who Don't Lie Can Pocke...

Aug 01, 2003

Learning the skills of an unethical fundraiser can start early in life: Little Freddie finishes a big piece of chocolate cake. Wanting more and knowing his mom won't allow it, he shrewdly asks her if he can bring some cake next do...

Learning the skills of an unethical fundraiser can start early in life: Little Freddie finishes a big piece of chocolate cake. Wan...

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Are Charity Boards Asleep at the Wheel? Nonprofit Governance...

Apr 01, 2003

Confidence in nonprofit organizations is at the lowest level in two decades and one-third of Americans who are 57 or older have less confidence in nonprofit organizations over the last 2 years, according to a September 2002 survey...

Confidence in nonprofit organizations is at the lowest level in two decades and one-third of Americans who are 57 or older have le...

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Congressional Testimony on the Charities' Response to the Se...

Nov 08, 2001

Americans have been far too hazy when it comes to making charitable giving decisions and following-up on how charities are using their contributions. Charities are making it difficult for donors in their fundraising appeals...

Americans have been far too hazy when it comes to making charitable giving decisions and following-up on how charities are using t...

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Buried in Solicitations

Feb 01, 2001

As a charity watchdog, we receive loads of complaints about the practices of nonprofit organizations. By far the most frequently heard donor complaint expresses this sentiment: "I am fed up with receiving a ridiculously large numb...

As a charity watchdog, we receive loads of complaints about the practices of nonprofit organizations. By far the most frequently h...

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Charity Circulated Forged Audits

Nov 01, 2000

When are audited financial statements unaudited? When the accompanying audit report is fake. The fiscal 1999 and 1998 financial statements of Feed the Children distributed to AIP and state regulators contain the forged signature o...

When are audited financial statements unaudited? When the accompanying audit report is fake. The fiscal 1999 and 1998 financial st...

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American Indian Charity Accused of Lying

Nov 01, 2000

The American Indian Relief Council, AKA National Relief Charities, and codefendants last year entered into a $395,000 consent agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to settle allegations that "they intentionally exploited...

The American Indian Relief Council, AKA National Relief Charities, and codefendants last year entered into a $395,000 consent agre...

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Zero Fundraising Costs May Signify Zero Accountability

Aug 01, 2000

The high percentage of charities filling IRS forms that report $0 in fundraising costs could make you believe that money is falling from trees. According to a recent Urban Institute study of tax returns for the years 1997 and 1998...

The high percentage of charities filling IRS forms that report $0 in fundraising costs could make you believe that money is fallin...

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Disenchantment with Local Chapter Leads to Greater Concern O...

Apr 01, 2000

Based on our experience and efforts as a former advisor and a former board member of the St. Louis Gateway Area Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, we are of the opinion that a shamefully small amoun...

Based on our experience and efforts as a former advisor and a former board member of the St. Louis Gateway Area Chapter ...

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Wishful Giving Goes Down the Well

Sep 01, 1999

Whoops! The professional telemarketing solicitor had it reversed. The solicitor told potential donors that 80% or more of their donation would be used for granting the wishes of terminally ill children when in actuality the solici...

Whoops! The professional telemarketing solicitor had it reversed. The solicitor told potential donors that 80% or more of their do...

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Charity Accused of Trying to Squelch Unflattering News About...

Sep 01, 1999

The Daily Oklahoman reported that the son of Larry Jones, founder and president of Feed The Children, stated in a personal bankruptcy filing that he owed his father's charity $950,000...

The Daily Oklahoman reported that the son of Larry Jones, founder and president of Feed The Children, stated in a personal bankrup...

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Don't Be Misled by Deceptive Business/Charity Marketing

Sep 01, 1999

The names and logos of nonprofit organizations are showing up more frequently in advertisements and packaging for a plethora of products from ice cream bars to nicotine patches. A 1997 study conducted jointly by Roper Starch World...

The names and logos of nonprofit organizations are showing up more frequently in advertisements and packaging for a plethora of pr...

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Feed the Children Execs Accused of Stealing Donated Supplies...

Jul 01, 1999

After conducting a four-month investigation, WTVF, a Nashville television station, recently reported that it had secretly videotaped Feed the Children's Nashville front office "from the executive director on down"...

After conducting a four-month investigation, WTVF, a Nashville television station, recently reported that it had secretly videotap...

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Donors Grant Wish of Telemarketer

Dec 01, 1998

When someone calls on the phone and asks you to donate to an organization with a name like Children's Wish Foundation International, wouldn't you like to think that most of your money would help grant the wishes of terminally ill ...

When someone calls on the phone and asks you to donate to an organization with a name like Children's Wish Foundation Internationa...

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Salvation Army Rates High on Finances but Low on Governance

Jul 01, 1998

After repeated requests from AIP, The Salvation Army has prepared consolidated audited financial statements of its 9,347 centers of operation that provide counseling, shelter and other assistance to...

After repeated requests from AIP, The Salvation Army has prepared consolidated audited financial statements of its 9,347 centers o...

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Appetite Stimulants for the Starving: In-Kind Donations Are ...

Apr 01, 1998

It is easy to be impressed when reading of the large quantities of donated medical supplies and drugs that charities and businesses send to areas devastated by wars, earthquakes and other disasters. These donations usually...

It is easy to be impressed when reading of the large quantities of donated medical supplies and drugs that charities and businesse...

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The Truth About Prospect Fundraising

Dec 01, 1997

The following is a solicitation letter–for new donors from a fictitious charity–that a fundraiser would write only after swallowing a dose of truth serum......

The following is a solicitation letter–for new donors from a fictitious charity–that a fundraiser would write only after swall...

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Holiday Mission Ads May Mislead Public

Dec 01, 1997

During the holiday season, our newspapers and mailboxes are replete with pictures of dreary homeless people digging into a turkey dinner and stories of how "Jack" or "Tom" was saved by a local mission. It is difficult for a caring...

During the holiday season, our newspapers and mailboxes are replete with pictures of dreary homeless people digging into a turkey ...

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A Crafty Project: Is It An Employment Program or Just Clever...

Sep 01, 1997

As you go through your daily routine of looking through the mail, you may find sandwiched between your bills and solicitations a catalog of stunning Indian jewelry and crafts from the Southwest Indian Foundation...

As you go through your daily routine of looking through the mail, you may find sandwiched between your bills and solicitations a c...

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Funding Fundraising Opportunities

Sep 01, 1997

Unlike other charities that have programs to employ disadvantaged people as childcare workers, retail store clerks, landscapers, etc., The Native American Heritage Association hires American Indians "in areas of high unemployment ...

Unlike other charities that have programs to employ disadvantaged people as childcare workers, retail store clerks, landscapers, e...

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