PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Better Business Bureau is encouraging donors to give to charities as part of their holiday preparations.
Because tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, the BBB is offering tips to help residents give wisely.
“Try to go with an organization that you recognize,” said Pamela Hernandez with the BBB. ” Sometimes intentionally or not, charities will pick a name that’s similar to a well-known charity. That could be an indication of a scam or just could be somebody with good intentions who went the wrong way and didn’t do their research.”
Officials say to never succumb to reassure by giving up money on the spot and to ask for more information if needed.
Follow these tips:
- Don’t assume that charity size and regional scope signal trustworthiness. 67 percent of survey respondents said they trust local charities more than national and 62 percent trust small organizations more than large ones. In BBB’s Give.org experience, however, charities of all sizes and scope can demonstrate good and bad accountability practices.
- Don’t assume verifying trust is easy. The Give.org Donor Trust Report shows that younger generations are more likely than older donors to believe that verifying trust is easy and can be accomplished by examining the charity’s appeal alone. Verifying charity trustworthiness is more complex. Donors are encouraged to check out charities at Give.org to verify if they meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability which address charity governance, finances, results reporting and solicitation practices.
- Don’t rely on stories and passion alone in assessing trust. The survey results also indicate that 46 percent of Generation Z (ages 18 and 19) and 32 percent of Millennials (ages 20-36) tend to attribute trust to those organizations that demonstrate more apparent passion and sincerity in the appeal. In BBB’s Give.org view, such indicators are not a reliable means to verify trust and could lead younger donors vulnerable to questionable solicitations.
- Don’t focus excessively on financial ratios. While financial ratios are an important part of a charity’s overall picture, excessive focus on low overhead spending can be misguided and potentially harmful to an organization’s capacity for service. Consider a more comprehensive view of a charity’s activities in order to make a wise giving decision.
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