NEWARK
– With a free, new smart phone app,
the Division of Consumer Affairs has made
it easier than ever to “Investigate
Before You Donate” and learn how your
favorite charities actually spend the money
you give. The
Division today launched the free “Charity
Lookup” application for the
iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Built without
using taxpayer money, the app is designed
to help users make better-informed decisions
before they donate to charities. The app
is updated weekly, with information from
the Division’s database on the financial
records of 26,000 charities and nonprofits
registered to solicit in New Jersey.
“Savvy
consumers do their research before they
make a purchase or an investment –
and they should do the same before giving
to a charity,” Attorney General Jeffrey
S. Chiesa said. “When you look at
the numbers you’ll learn some so-called
charities dedicate only 10 or 20 cents of
each donated dollar to actual charitable
programs, and give the rest to fundraisers.
Other organizations spend virtually every
penny on worthwhile charitable projects.
With this app we’ve made it easier
than ever to know where your money will
go, before you donate.”
The
screen shots, provided above, show how the
app is used. Simply type in the full or
partial name of a nonprofit, such as by
typing the words “New Jersey”
to find the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Then
click on the organization’s name to
find a breakdown of its revenues and expenses,
drawn from the organization’s most
recent fiscal year report. The app shows
the New Jersey Hall of Fame spent a total
of $412,000 during its most recent reported
fiscal year, 99.8 percent of which went
toward actual programs to support its mission,
less than 1 percent of which went toward
management costs, and none of which was
spent on fundraising.
“While
the Supreme Court has ruled that states
can’t force charities to spend more
money on charitable causes than on fundraising
or management costs, we owe it to consumers
to bring transparency to the ways charities
use the donations they receive,” Eric
T. Kanefsky, Acting Director of the New
Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, said.
“This app, like our Charities Registration
Hotline, provides an important service.
It will help shine a spotlight on the state’s
most un-charitable charities, and bring
well-deserved recognition to the organizations
that put donated dollars to valuable use.”
Director
Kanefsky noted that the Better Business
Bureau’s Standards for Charity Accountability
state a charity should dedicate at least
65 percent of its expenses toward program
activities, and no more than 35 percent
toward fundraising. When consumers consider
donating to a charity, they should compare
that guideline with the charity’s
actual expenses.
The
Charity Lookup app currently is available
only for Apple mobile devices, but will
eventually be made available for users of
the Android and other devices. It can be
downloaded directly at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-jersey-charity-search/id503535534?ls=1&mt=8.
Users can also find it by visiting the Apple
App store on their mobile device and searching
for “New Jersey Charity Search.”
The
Charity Lookup app is the product of a partnership
between the State of New Jersey and the
New Jersey Information Division of NICUSA,
Inc., the official eGovernment partner of
the State of New Jersey. The New Jersey
Information Division of NICUSA, Inc helps
New Jersey government entities web-enable
their information services.
The
app only provides information about charities
that are currently registered with the Division.
Charities not listed in the app may be exempt
from registration, may have had their registration
revoked, or may have failed to comply with
the law requiring that they register. For
information on charities that don’t
appear in a search of the app, consumers
may call the Division of Consumer Affairs’
Charities Registration Hotline at 973-504-6215.
Director
Kanefsky noted the “New Jersey Charity
Lookup” app is the second free app
launched by the Division of Consumer Affairs
and NICUSA, Inc. in their effort to make
vital marketplace information directly accessible
to consumers.
The
“New Jersey Professional License”
app, launched in June 2011, allows users
to access its license and registration database
and find information about the approximately
600,000 individuals who provide services
to the public, ranging from healthcare practitioners
to home improvement contractors. (Press
release: www.njconsumeraffairs.com/press/ipad.htm
).
The
State Division of Consumer Affairs encourages
New Jersey consumers to learn about charities
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. In addition
to using the new app they can ask the
charity itself (reputable charities encourage
you to do so); visit the charity’s
website; visit the New Jersey 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.
About
NICUSA: NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's
leading provider of official government
portals, online services, and secure payment
processing solutions. The company's innovative
eGovernment services help reduce costs and
increase efficiencies for government agencies,
citizens, and businesses across the country.
NIC provides eGovernment solutions for more
than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies
in the United States. Additional information
is available at www.egov.com.
Consumers
who believe they have been cheated or scammed
by a business, or suspect any other form
of consumer abuse, can file a complaint
with the State Division of Consumer Affairs
by visiting its website, www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov,
or by calling 1-800-242-5846
(toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.
Follow
the Division of Consumer Affairs on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/pages/NJ-Division-of-Consumer-Affairs/112957465445651,
and check our online calendar of upcoming
Consumer Outreach events at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/outreach/.
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