The Smarter Giving Guy » charity screening http://smartergivingguy.com Helping Philanthropists Do Good Better Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:09:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 IRS issues reminders about charities and other tax-exempt organizations http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/03/irs-issues-reminders-about-charities-and-other-tax-exempt-organizations/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/03/irs-issues-reminders-about-charities-and-other-tax-exempt-organizations/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:41:14 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1829 The IRS issued Tax Tip 2010-59 today, providing good reminders for donors about charities and other tax-exempt organizations. The reminders include public availability of IRS information returns and donor lists, finding organizations, sorting out where donations are deductible (or not deductible) as charitable contributions, and reporting of inappropriate activities by organizations.

Read the full [...]]]> The IRS issued Tax Tip 2010-59 today, providing good reminders for donors about charities and other tax-exempt organizations. The reminders include public availability of IRS information returns and donor lists, finding organizations, sorting out where donations are deductible (or not deductible) as charitable contributions, and reporting of inappropriate activities by organizations.

Read the full IRS release.

]]> http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/03/irs-issues-reminders-about-charities-and-other-tax-exempt-organizations/feed/ 0 Free guide to analyzing charities available online http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/02/free-guide-to-analyzing-charities-available-online/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/02/free-guide-to-analyzing-charities-available-online/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:39:20 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1780 The little blue book, a thought-provoking 59-page guide recently published by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), is now available for free online. It summarizes NPC’s approach to analyzing charities, and is written for donors, charities and charity observers. NPC’s approach focuses on six areas for charity analysis:

Activities Results Leadership People and resources Finances Ambition [...]]]> The little blue book, a thought-provoking 59-page guide recently published by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), is now available for free online. It summarizes NPC’s approach to analyzing charities, and is written for donors, charities and charity observers. NPC’s approach focuses on six areas for charity analysis:

  • Activities
  • Results
  • Leadership
  • People and resources
  • Finances
  • Ambition

NPC, based in London, England, describes itself as a consultancy and think tank dedicated to helping funders and charities to achieve greater impact.

Download a copy, after completing a free registration, at www.philanthropycapital.org.

The NPC site contains dozens of additional free research reports on philanthropy and charities.

]]> http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/02/free-guide-to-analyzing-charities-available-online/feed/ 0 Vetted choices for Haiti-related donations http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/01/vetted-choices-for-haiti-related-donations/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/01/vetted-choices-for-haiti-related-donations/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:54:49 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1757 Drawing from its existing listings of large charities, CharityNavigator has done a nice job pulling together information on charities responding to the devastating Haiti earthquake. More than 40 of the charities have CharityNavigator’s 4 star (top) rating.

Read the CharityNavigator article.

]]> Drawing from its existing listings of large charities, CharityNavigator has done a nice job pulling together information on charities responding to the devastating Haiti earthquake. More than 40 of the charities have CharityNavigator’s 4 star (top) rating.

Read the CharityNavigator article.

]]> http://smartergivingguy.com/2010/01/vetted-choices-for-haiti-related-donations/feed/ 0 Charities and the “12 Scams of Christmas” http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/11/charities-and-the-12-scams-of-christmas/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/11/charities-and-the-12-scams-of-christmas/#comments Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:23:57 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1672 The list highlights “charitable phishing scams” — e-mails that appear to be from legitimate charities. “Not only will they take your money and deprive charities of needed funds, but they will also steal your credit card information and identity.”

Read Larry Magid’s article at CNET News.

]]> The list highlights “charitable phishing scams” — e-mails that appear to be from legitimate charities. “Not only will they take your money and deprive charities of needed funds, but they will also steal your credit card information and identity.”

Read Larry Magid’s article at CNET News.

]]> http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/11/charities-and-the-12-scams-of-christmas/feed/ 0 Class: Do Good Better http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/11/class-do-good-better/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/11/class-do-good-better/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:12:06 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1729 We’ve created unique new 25- to 60-minute class, great for service clubs and other community groups that have regular speakers. Here’s our brief description:

It’s never been more important to give to charity.

As government services continue to decline, people depend more and more on charities for education, hospital, social and other needed services. [...]]]> We’ve created unique new 25- to 60-minute class, great for service clubs and other community groups that have regular speakers. Here’s our brief description:

It’s never been more important to give to charity.

  • As government services continue to decline, people depend more and more on charities for education, hospital, social and other needed services.
  • Charities depend on individuals, couples and families for more than 80% of their donated support.

It’s never been more important to be a smart giver. A smart giver,

  • Directs their giving to needs, causes and issues that matter most to them.
  • Donates to strong charities doing solid work with the dollars entrusted to them.
  • Avoids weak charities and those that spend more on fundraising than on their missions.

Presented by “charity insider” and nationally-known elder law attorney and nonprofit founder Ed Long, “Do Good Better” is an interactive program designed to help attendees distinguish strong from weak charities and become more strategic and confident in their giving.

Program length: 25 to 60 minutes (including Q&A) depending on the wishes of the group. For more information on this and other classes see the Classes page at www.smartergivingguy.com, or email staff@smartergivingguy.com, or call us at (310) 612-1146.

November 2009

]]> http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/11/class-do-good-better/feed/ 0 Top Tips for Avoiding “Charity” Scammers http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/10/top-tips-for-avoiding-charity-scammers/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/10/top-tips-for-avoiding-charity-scammers/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:55:25 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1510 Avoiding “charity” scammers is an important part of smart giving.

Every dollar scam “charities” take in is a dollar that could instead have gone to a strong charity doing valuable work with the funds entrusted to it.

Join our Serious Givers email group now and we’ll send you our Top Tips for Avoiding [...]]]> Avoiding “charity” scammers is an important part of smart giving.

Every dollar scam “charities” take in is a dollar that could instead have gone to a strong charity doing valuable work with the funds entrusted to it.Smart Giver

Join our Serious Givers email group now and we’ll send you our Top Tips for Avoiding “Charity” Scammers — a handy list of things to check, watch for and avoid.

]]> http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/10/top-tips-for-avoiding-charity-scammers/feed/ 0 The Smarter Giving Guide to Finding Key Charity Information http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/09/the-smarter-giving-guide-to-finding-key-charity-information/ http://smartergivingguy.com/2009/09/the-smarter-giving-guide-to-finding-key-charity-information/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:03:49 +0000 SG Guy http://smartergivingguy.com/?p=1184 2012 UPDATE: All versions of The Smarter Giving Guide are now out of print. The core concepts of the Guide have been incorporated into the free www.SeriousGivers.org website.

Charities publish an immense amount of data in their IRS Form 990 returns each year. The giver’s challenge has been to find and evaluate [...]]]>

2012 UPDATE: All versions of The Smarter Giving Guide are now out of print. The core concepts of the Guide have been incorporated into the free www.SeriousGivers.org website.

Charities publish an immense amount of data in their IRS Form 990 returns each year. The giver’s challenge has been to find and evaluate the key information tucked away in those returns. We’ve created a new guide to help givers meet that challenge.

The Smarter Giving Guide to Finding Key Charity Information helps you find a charity’s Form 990 and navigate your way to crucial performance indicators such asSGG_Guide_Cvr_border

  • The focus of the charity’s programs
  • Spending on programs, fundraising and administration
  • Financial reserves available to the charity
  • Staff, board and contractor compensation levels
  • Fundraising efficiency

The Guide includes performance ratios and indicators, road-map guides to key information, and complete copies of IRS Form 990, Form 990-EZ and Schedule A for both 2008 and 2007.

Look inside (it’ll take a moment to open the Guide): Table of Contents — Surprise Me! — Back Cover

Money Back Guarantee: Follow the guide and screen just one local charity’s Form 990 data and if you honestly don’t believe think you’ve found crucial information about the charity, then simply give us a call and we’ll cheerfully refund your entire purchase price.

Print edition: 8.5″ x 11″, soft cover, 72 pages, ISBN 978-0-9842528. Also available on CD, with live links.

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