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NEWARK
– During its most recent reported
fiscal year, only 10 percent of the money
spent by the Garden State Law Enforcement
Officers Foundation, a New Jersey registered
charity based in Tennent, funded charitable
programs. The remaining 90 percent was spent
on fundraising, management, and general
costs, according to information the charity
reported to the New Jersey Division of Consumer
Affairs.
By
contrast, St. Jude Children’s Hospital,
also registered to solicit in New Jersey,
spent 95 percent of funds during its most
recent reported fiscal year on charitable
programs, and just 5 percent on management
and general costs, according to information
the charity reported.
How
does your favorite charity use your donation
dollars? In its ongoing effort to encourage
consumers to investigate before you donate,
the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
today released its second bimonthly list
of New Jersey’s Top 10 Most Inquired-About
Charities.
“In
highlighting this information, we’re
not expressing any judgments or endorsements
for or against any specific charity,”
Thomas R. Calcagni, Acting Director of the
State Division of Consumer Affairs, said.
“But we are making the point, that
not all charitable organizations spend your
donation dollars in ways you may expect.”
Calcagni
noted that potential donors are rarely aware
that certain organizations spend the bulk
of donated dollars on fundraising efforts
and dedicate relatively little to charitable
pursuits. “Consumers should not be
kept in the dark when it comes to how their
charitable donations are spent,“ said
Calcagni. “By shedding light on how
charities are spending the money they collect,
we’re empowering consumers to make
better-informed donation decisions.”
The
report is drawn from consumers’ calls
to the Division’s Charities Registration
Hotline, 973-504-6215. The list announced
today provides information on the 10 charities
most often asked about by consumers who
called the Hotline in March and April 2011.
The number of inquiries is not an indicator
that any given charity is “good”
or “bad,” but may indicate the
charity solicited donations or held a campaign
drive during the recent months.
The
Top 10 Most Inquired-About Charities list,
updated today, can be found at NJConsumerAffairs.gov/charity/chardir.htm.
The
list includes a pie chart for each charity,
showing how much the organization reported
spending on charitable programs, on fundraising,
and on management fees as reported to the
NJ Division of Consumer Affairs in each
charity’s most recent registration
renewal and financial reports.
Some
highlights of the new Top 10 list:
- Garden
State Law Enforcement Officers Foundation,
Tennent NJ. Of the $224,000 this New Jersey
registered charity spent during its most
recent reported fiscal year, 10 percent
funded charitable programs, according
to the charity’s report. Another
10 percent was spent on management and
general costs, and 80 percent was spent
on fundraising.
- NJ
Police Officers Foundation, Lyndhurst,
NJ. Of the total $798,000 this New Jersey
registered charity spent during its most
recent reported fiscal year, 19 percent
went to charitable programs, according
to the charity’s report. Another
2 percent was spent on management and
general costs, and 79 percent was spent
on fundraising.
- Autism
Spectrum Disorder Foundation,
Schererville, IN. Of the total $1 million
this New Jersey registered charity spent
during its most recent reported fiscal
year, 36 percent was spent on charitable
programs, according to the charity’s
report. Another 11 percent was spent on
management and general costs, and 53 percent
was spent on fundraising.
- North
Shore Animal League America,
Port Washington, NY. Of the total $31
million this New Jersey registered charity
spent during its most recent reported
fiscal year, 77 percent was spent on charitable
programs, according to the charity’s
report. Another 4 percent was spent on
management and general costs, and 19 percent
was spent on fundraising.
- St.
Jude Children’s Research Hospital,
Memphis, TN. Of the total $563 million
this New Jersey registered charity spent
during its most recent reported fiscal
year, 95 percent was spent on charitable
programs, according to the charity’s
report. The remaining 5 percent was spent
on management and general costs. No money
was spent on fundraising.
The
State Division of Consumer Affairs encourages
New Jersey consumers to learn about a charity
before making a donation. For example:
- Find
out whether the charity is registered
in New Jersey, or is exempt from having
to register. (Certain religious and educational
organizations, and charities whose annual
income includes less than $10,000 in public
contributions and fundraising, are exempt
from having to register with the State).
- Find
out how much the charity spent during
recent fiscal years on program costs,
management costs, and fundraising.
- Learn
about the charity’s stated mission.
- Consumers
may obtain information about a charity
in several ways. They can ask the charity
itself (reputable charities encourage
you to do so); visit the charity’s
website; or visit the NJ Division of Consumer
Affairs’ Charities Registration
page at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov
; or call the Division’s Charities
Hotline at 973-504-6215 during
regular business hours.
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