Articles

CharityWatch publishes a wide variety of articles researched and written by our staff. Some articles focus on problems uncovered by CharityWatch during our investigations into specific charities. Other articles delve into broader issues of interest to the donating public, such as manipulative or dishonest charity solicitations, misleading financial reporting, faulty governance and conflicts of interest, as well as tips and advice on giving to charity. Scan our articles database or use the search box and dropdowns below to locate articles on charities or topics of interest to you.

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Taxpayers Pay for Televangelists' Lavish Lifestyles Churches Damaged by Lack of Oversight and Disclosures
Fundraisers Ordered to Pay $18.8 Million and Banned from Soliciting Forever Forced to Relinquish Luxury Assets
Nobel Prize Nominee's Charity Wins No Award for Accountability
Charity Network Inflates Efficiency and Reduces Accountability
Separation of Church and State Should not Separate Donors from Information
(Mis)Understanding Special Events Philanthropy Leader's Column Cites Flawed Study
Veterans Charities Protest Their F's
Inefficient, Tax-Delinquent, and Even Fake Charities Pass CFC Screens
Cancer Charities Need Dose of Organizational Chemotherapy
Our Veterans Deserve Better from America's Charities
The Alice in Wonderland World of Charity Valuation
Appetite Stimulants for the Starving: In-Kind Donations Are Not Always Kind to Recipients
F Rated Charities Awarded Best in America Seal
Wishful Giving Goes Down the Well
View Through the Looking Glass
Red Cross Reputation Bloodied Again
"Not So" GreatNonprofits
Charity Grants Wishes of Founder's Companies
"100% to Program" Claims Confuse Donors
The Road to Regaining Trust in the Nonprofit Sector: 10 Essential Reforms
All-in-the-Family Charities Receive F's
Feed the Children Controversies Continue: Charity Accused of Overstating Its Work in Haiti
The Most Outrageous Charity in America: Larry Jones' Feed the Children
Charity Head Stages Failed Coup
Charity Questions the Value of Donated Goods: How $118,000 Shipment May Be Worth Less Than $7,000 to Recipients
Food is Only a Small Portion of What Feed the Children Distributes
Charity Circulated Forged Audits
Charity Accused of Trying to Squelch Unflattering News About Itself
Feed the Children Execs Accused of Stealing Donated Supplies Intended for the Needy
Eye-Popping Pay
Congressionally Scorned Charity Leader Receives $1.9 Million
Debunking Charity Salary Myths
Solicitation Train
A Wink and a Smile Train
Tips for Donating a Car to Charity
Seven Tips for Reducing Unwanted Mail and Phone Appeals
Millions in Future Donations to Vets Charity Will Pay Debt Owed to Vendors
Soldiers Angels Lose Their Halos
Executive Director Fired
Charity Whistle Blower Booted From Board
American Indian Charity Accused of Lying
Salvation Army Rates High on Finances but Low on Governance
Avon Raises Awareness For Its Cosmetics and For Breast Cancer
Donors Grant Wish of Telemarketer
Are Charity Boards Asleep at the Wheel? Nonprofit Governance Problems
CharityWatch Calls for Resignation of Central Asia Institute's Founder Greg Mortenson
Car Donations: Taking Taxpayers for a Ride
Tips for Donating Your Old Cell Phone
CharityWatch Method Better Judges Charity Efficiency: Why Oxfam Compares Better and UNICEF Worse
Beware of Inflated Charity Efficiency Claims!
Charity with Large Assets Reserves Pleads Poverty
F Rated Charity and Its Fundraiser Should Be Put on a Leash
A Crafty Project: Is It An Employment Program or Just Clever Marketing?
Don't Be Misled by Deceptive Business/Charity Marketing
CharityWatch Hall of Shame
Phantom Charity Takes Flight Leaves Veterans Stranded
Two Layers of F's
Bungled Charity Raffles Become Gateway to Fraud Allegations
Red Cross Uses Donations To Pay Fines
Operation False Charity: Nationwide Crackdown on Dishonest Fundraising
Charitable Giving Via Your Cell Phone: Is the Convenience Worth It?
What You Need to Know to Donate Safely Online
Fundraising Reduction Notice
Eight Rungs of the Giving Ladder
Whoops! Gifts In Kind International Distributes $14.2 Million of Donated Goods to the Wrong Place
Congressional Testimony on the Charities' Response to the September 11 Terrorist Attack For Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means
The Truth About Prospect Fundraising
Street Solicitations Promote Uninformed Giving
Outstanding Veterans Charity Wrongly Given Low Marks by Others
Undercover Investigation Reveals How Easy It Is to Set Up Phony Charity
Disenchantment with Local Chapter Leads to Greater Concern Over National Organization
Daniel Borochoff's Testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing on Response by Charitable Organizations to the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
No Defense for Bad Accounting
Thou Shalt Not Be Accountable Is Not a Commandment
Large Asset Charity Threatens to Close Hospitals
Supreme Court Rules that Fundraisers Who Don't Lie Can Pocket 85% of Donations
Group Takes Steps to Improve Its Own Health
Learning Ally "Unlearns" Reporting Rules and Inflates Program Efficiency
Planet Aid's Recycling Program, Debunked!
Sorting Out Nonprofit Pairs
Now Is The Time To Reform Veterans Charities
Undercover Investigation Shines Light on the Seamy Side of Charity Telemarketing
Catchy Jingle Not a Green Light to Donate
Leaked Report Alleges Wrongdoing within Shriners Hospitals for Children
Know Your Red Crosses: Is the International Committee of the Red Cross Disservicing America?
Funding Fundraising Opportunities
Never Again! Red Cross Needs Policy of Cooperation in Major Disasters
America Needs More Truth in Fundraising
Buried in Solicitations
New Charitable Reforms and Giving Incentives
Don't Judge a Not-For-Profit by Its Profits
The Connected World of Charitable Fundraising
Easing the Pain of America's Economic Crisis Great Opportunities to Help (or Squander) Charitable Resources
Government Aid: A Life or Death Decision
Holiday Mission Ads May Mislead Public
CharityWatch Schools Charity Foundation
Not Enough Charity: IRS Takes Away Tax-Exempt Status
Matchless Matching Campaign
No Jail Time For Prison Fellowship Ministries
Nonprofits Lose Big in Market Fall-off and Madoff Scandal
Think! Before You JustGive
Tips for Giving Wisely
Our Veterans Deserve Better - Congressional Testimony
Zero Fundraising Costs May Signify Zero Accountability
You Can't Have Your (Angel Food) Cake and Eat It Too
Leadership Booted at Dishonored Veterans Charity Ordered to Pay $2.5 Million Restitution
CharityWatch Research Shows Veterans Get Short End of Stick: Attorney General Sues F Rated Veterans Charity
Look-Alike Charities Busted
Scammer Uses Dead Soldier to Defraud Donors
Accounting Rules Allow Nonprofits Discretion in the Reporting of Joint Costs
Coalition Against Breast Cancer Dissolved by New York Attorney General's Office
You Can't Judge a Book by its Cover nor a Charity by its Name
Tricks of the Charity Trade: Donors Unknowingly Pay to Receive More Solicitations
Weak Excuses for High Fundraising Costs
Gay/Atheist Controversy Strikes Scouting: Guide to Finding a Group that Matches Your Views
CharityWatch Calls for Charities to Disclose International Grantees
Update: Good Charity You Can't Judge a Book by its Cover or a Charity by its Name
Help Hospitalized Veterans Is Banned from VA Hospitals
Greenpeace International Loses $5.2M on Bad Currency Exchange Bet
Professional Fundraiser Is Ring Leader of Triple Charity Scheme
The GuideStar Exchange Program: Sometimes Gold, Silver and Bronze Mean Less Than You Think
Have You Been Wondering About WonderWork?
Overhead Ratios are Essential for Informed Giving
Don't Be Misled by Deceptive Charity Efficiency Claims
Know Your Options When Giving to the Red Cross
Donor-Advised Funds: Tax Benefits Now, Charity Selection Later
Donors Lose Tax Benefits for Supporting Poorly Performing Charities
Subject of Scathing Report from VA Inspector General Picked to Lead Veterans Charity
Million Dollar Pay at Nonprofit Hospitals
CharityWatch Calls for Full Disclosure of Charity Executive Compensation
Ice Bucket Donations Pour into ALS Association
"F" Graded Charity Now Controls World Neighbors
Bookkeeper of Veterans Charity Faces Felony Larceny Charge
Vietnam Veterans of America's "Recycling" Program, Debunked!
Huge Amounts of Donations Squandered by "F" Rated Charity Before Settlement Is Reached
Donors' Intentions Violated at For-profit Thrift Stores
Update on Central Asia Institute: The Concerns Continue to Support a "?" Rating
A Donor's Guide to Serving the Needs of Veterans and the Military
CF Foundation "Supercharged" by $3.3 Billion Sale of Drug Royalty Rights
Solicitation Fails to Mention Government's Huge Role in Helping Fallen Police
Red Cross Accused of Favoring Public Relations Over People
Robo-caller for Popular Charities Fined $1 Million for Multiple Violations
Plus Size Retirement Payouts Continue at American Cancer Society
Human Rights Charities -- What's the Difference?
Get Ready for a Stampede of Solicitations: The IRS Has Made It Too "E-Z" to Start Charities
Long Running Family Charity Scheme Exposed
Gaia-Movement Living Earth's "Recycling" Program, Debunked!
Update: The IRS Has Made It Too "E-Z" to Start Charities
Charity Finishes Last at Car Donation Charities: Micro-Mini Share of Proceeds Go to Charity
20 + Year-Old Charity that Solicited for Non-Existent Programs Is Shuttered
Charities Exempt from Most Rules Regarding Telemarketing Calls & Texts
Millions in Donations Made on State Tax Returns Go Unspent
Follow the Money: Beware of Groups that Pass Your Donations to Inefficient Charities
CharityWatch Ratings Bridge the Knowledge Gap between Donors and GAAP Reporting
Making Sense of WWP's Program Spending: Which Ratio Should You Believe?
Multiple Names + Exaggerated Programs = Two Related Charities, But Little Help for Vets or Cancer Relief
Celebrity Charity Finances Are Hidden Behind Closed Doors