Charity Salaries

Jul 31, 2014

Is it acceptable for the head of a nonprofit to earn a seven-figure salary? Upon what criteria should a salary be based? A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals...

Overhead Ratios are Essential for Informed Giving

Jun 2, 2014

GuideStar, Charity Navigator and BBB Wise Giving Alliance have started a campaign called "The Overhead Myth" which asserts that focusing on the percentage of a charity's budget spent on administrative...

Lack of Disclosure Makes Giving to Televangelists a Risky Business

Apr 1, 2014

Large religious TV networks that repeatedly ask you for charitable donations are allowed to hide how they spend your dollars. If you want to know if your donation is used...

Donor-Advised Funds: Tax Benefits Now, Charity Selection Later

Dec 1, 2013

Wouldn't it be nice if you could postpone your charitable giving decisions without losing out on the related tax deductions that you had planned for during the year? Some donors...

Donors Lose Tax Benefits for Supporting Poorly Performing Charities

Dec 1, 2013

If a charity can't manage to spend even 30% of its total expenses on program services, should it be allowed to receive tax-deductible donations? Not according to the State of...

Million Dollar Pay at Nonprofit Hospitals

Nov 19, 2013

Is it acceptable for the head of a nonprofit to earn a seven-figure salary? Upon what criteria should a salary be based? A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals...

Know Your Options When Giving to the Red Cross

Oct 28, 2013

In the wake of any humanitarian disaster that hits the U.S., the American Red Cross (Red Cross) usually takes the lead in providing immediate and long-term disaster relief services. The...

Accounting Rules Allow Nonprofits Discretion in the Reporting of Joint Costs

Apr 16, 2013

In nonprofit financial reporting, the funds spent on telemarketing, direct mail, or other solicitation activities that also include an "action step" or "call to action" are referred to as "Joint...

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

Aug 1, 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...

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...

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...

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...