But Who Do I Trust?

Welcome to this new blog about serving those in need. Are you feeling called?
So a lot of people are suspicious of nonprofits.  It may be because they don't understand the process 
of fundraising and how those funds are used.  You may be asking who do I trust with my passion and my money, and oh yeah, the thing we all have the least of, time!

There are some online sources that can help in your decision making. 
 Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) and Guidestar (www.guidestar.org) both offer great oversight of nonprofits ( also called a 501(c)3) and religious organizations.  There's information on program, administration, and fundraising costs as well as program expense and revenue data.  You'll also find  the names of the board members and the organizations CEO, as well as the website and other contact information.

The same information for faith based organizations may be harder to find.  Don't get frustrated by this.  They are not all required to operate in the same manner that a nonprofit does, especially if it's a church-based group.  There are different reporting requirements.  Nonprofits file an IRS form 990 at the end of each year with profit and loss information, but it is not required of some faith based organizations.  You can read more about this on the IRS web site.

If you can't find much information about an individual or organization, ask questions if you are uncomfortable.  If you are interested in supporting a missionary, for example, and that person works through a church, email or call the missionary or the church.  Ask about their funding sources, how the funds are managed, and where you can access more information. 

Next time I'll tell you about some of my favorite organizations.