home | banking | car | college | credit/credit card | economy | home/mortgage | insurance | investment | retirement | spending | tax | et cetera

November 28, 2004 09:46 PM

A Seal Of Good Giving


Excerpt: Such charity rating and ranking services are mushrooming as a number of recent scandals plague the philanthropic sector. These have hurt donor confidence and are one reason the number of rating services is on the rise. Less than a handful existed a decade ago, experts say. Today, there are more than 50.


Every December, Ross Gillfillan gets dozens of offers from charities that woo him with free greeting cards, address labels, T-shirts, tote bags, and magazine subscriptions. But Mr. Gillfillan, a marketing director in San Francisco, is unmoved.

These days, he turns to several charitable rating services to figure out where he'll donate.

"I can't spend hours being a detective," he says. "I need to know and I need to trust that [they] are using my money to fulfill [their] promise to me and to society."

Such charity rating and ranking services are mushrooming as a number of recent scandals plague the philanthropic sector. These have hurt donor confidence and are one reason the number of rating services is on the rise. Less than a handful existed a decade ago, experts say. Today, there are more than 50.

"Donors can't tell what's good and bad, and need an intermediary to help guide their giving," says Art Taylor, president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance in Arlington, Va. The group has examined 450 of the nation's largest charities; 70 percent measure up.

Read Full Story ...



Account Aggregation: All-In-One Convenience (December 01, 2004)
You have a checking account and a credit card from one bank, charge cards from two other banks, and a portfolio at an online brokerage. On top of that, you belong to two frequent-flier clubs. Congrats. You're doing well. There's another piece of good news ...
A Life Fulfilled (November 30, 2004)
Are you a Wall Street banker who really wants to teach history? An accountant who yearns to become a rabbi? An insurance salesman who wants to own a charter boat? Or a corporate manager who wants to start a catering company? If there are secrets ...
More Are Saying It With Plastic: Gift Cards The Holiday Present Of Choice (November 26, 2004)
Sweaters? So five minutes ago. Gloves? Passé. What to give? Try cold, hard plastic. For the first time, gift cards are expected to replace apparel as the gift of choice for the holidays, according to the Deloitte & Touche 19th annual consumer survey, which tracks ...
Use Open Enrollment To Review Health-Insurance Plan (November 25, 2004)
In the midst of holiday shopping, end-of-year tax saving steps and other seasonal activities, don't forget to review your health-insurance plan during your company's open enrollment period. It's important to examine your health-insurance options every year during open enrollment whether you plan to change your ...

Read all 32 posts in the same category of Anything Else:

‘Tis The Season For Wall Street Bonuses - Dec 17, 2004
Coping With Rising Rates - Dec 14, 2004
Financial Resolutions - Dec 11, 2004
IBM Cash Balance Plan Ending - Dec 09, 2004
John Snow Staying On At Treasury - Dec 09, 2004
Topping Off the Biggest Gas Tank - Dec 07, 2004
What To Do With A Dud Gift - Dec 07, 2004
Putting Your Financial House In Online Order - Dec 07, 2004
Social Security Reform: A Guide - Dec 06, 2004
The Disparate Consensus on Health Care for All - Dec 06, 2004
Giving Children Funds As Gifts - Dec 05, 2004
Bank Machine Dispenses Fake Money - Dec 02, 2004
Account Aggregation: All-In-One Convenience - Dec 01, 2004
A Life Fulfilled - Nov 30, 2004
More Are Saying It With Plastic: Gift Cards The Holiday Present Of Choice - Nov 26, 2004
Use Open Enrollment To Review Health-Insurance Plan - Nov 25, 2004
The Pitfalls of VOIP - Nov 23, 2004
Business Airfares, Down 11%, Might Be Lowest Ever - Nov 22, 2004
International Lottery Scams - Nov 22, 2004
Work-at-Home Schemes - Nov 22, 2004
Medical Billing Opportunities: Worth a Second Opinion - Nov 22, 2004
The Lowdown on Chain Letters - Nov 22, 2004
The Bottom Line About Multilevel Marketing Plans - Nov 22, 2004
Get-Rich-Quick & Self-Employment Schemes - Nov 22, 2004
Could 'Biz Opp' Offers Be Out For Your Coffers? - Nov 22, 2004
Costly Coupon Scams - Nov 22, 2004
8 Lottery Winners Who Lost Their Millions - Nov 22, 2004
Ranks of U.S. Millionaires Surge - Nov 16, 2004
What Wal-Mart Knows About Customers' Habits - Nov 14, 2004
How Much Are You Really Worth? - Nov 06, 2004
What the Bush Victory Means for Consumers - Nov 03, 2004