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National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (DISSOLVED)

CharityWatch report issued
December 2015

F
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
7%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$89
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (DISSOLVED)
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Suite 336
Washington, DC 20006

Other Names

American Veterans Support Foundation

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

To support veterans and veterans organizations.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 12/31/2014

Program Percentage: 7%

The percentage of National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (DISSOLVED)'s cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$8,600,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $89

How many dollars National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (DISSOLVED) spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$8,700,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
National Vietnam Veterans Foundation IRS Form 990 52-2286034
National Vietnam Veterans Foundation Audited Financial Statements 52-2286034
Entity: National Vietnam Veterans Foundation
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 52-2286034
Entity: National Vietnam Veterans Foundation
Document Type: Audited Financial Statements
Tax ID: 52-2286034

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (DISSOLVED)
does not meet governance benchmarks.
 
National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (DISSOLVED)
does not meet transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy

Unable to Provide Salaries

CharityWatch is unable to provide a range of Top Three Salaries for this charity for the above fiscal reporting year because we lack complete salary data for the organization. Except for officers, directors, and trustees, the IRS does not require breakouts of salaries totaling less than $100,000.

For example, XYZ charity would be required to provide a breakout in its tax form of compensation to its president of $55,000, but would not be required to provide a breakout of $99,000 in compensation to its top medical researcher if that person is not also an officer, director, or trustee of the organization.

This charity reports that compensation to its officers, directors, and trustees is under $100,000 per individual. Donors who would like to view limited salary data for this organization should refer to its tax form, which may be available on the charity's web site or from a number of third-party sources. See CharityWatch's Links page for information on obtaining copies of charity tax forms.


CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.
National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (NVVF) is to permanently close and its former President & Founder will pay damages, return his severance, and be banned nationwide from handling charitable assets as a result of settlements reached with the New York Office of the Attorney General (OAG), according to a November 10th, 2016 OAG press release.

The OAG's investigation found that NVVF spent the majority of its millions in contributions on paying professional fundraisers and insider expenses. The former President & Founder, John Thomas Burch, Jr., admitted that NVVF had paid 90% of its donations to its fundraisers and to deceptively marketing how solicited money would be spent.

A link to the OAG's press release can be found by clicking on the "Articles & Alerts" Tab above.
National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (NVVF) has closed its doors, according to an August 31, 2016 report by CNN.

NVVF's vice president wrote in an email to CNN that the charity's president has resigned and "NVVF is shutting down completely," according to CNN. (NVVF was the object of a CNN report in May 2016.)
According to the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation audit of December 31, 2014 (Note 4, Telemarketing):

"In addition to the Foundation performing its own fundraising, it has hired Midwest Publishing, Inc. and Outreach Calling, Inc. (professional fundraisers) to perform its telemarketing function for fundraising. These contracts with the professional fundraisers stipulate that funds collected from solicited donations, less their related costs for commissions, telemarketing, fees, etc., will be remitted to the Foundation on a regular basis. The agencies raised $8,643,900 in 2014 through a combination of increased efforts and establishing fundraising opportunities in additional states by Outreach Calling, Inc., and Midwest Publishing, Inc. that was offset by a decline in fundraising revenue generated by Telecom of Ohio, Inc."

According to the Organization's 2014 tax filing, Form 990, Schedule G, of the $8,643,900 raised, $7,736,172 was paid to, or retained by, the fundraisers; $907,728 was paid to, or retained by, the charity.
According to the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation audit of Dec. 31, 2012 (Note 2):

"Revenue from fundraising vendors was concentrated with three vendors who were responsible for approximately 69%, 17% and 8% of total revenue. Related telemarketing costs with these vendors ranged from 83% to 89% of the revenues raised from fundraising."
According to the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (NVVF) 2012 tax filing, NVVF provided $11,128 in monetary "emergency" assistance to the brother of the President/Chairman of NVVF (Form 990 Schedule L, Part III).

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