Q. Why did the New York Metro BBB Foundation decide to develop a seal program?
A. The goal of the New York Metro BBB Foundation seal program is to
offer a highly visible accountability tool that will help inform
donors, will assist charities in establishing their commitment to
ethical practices, and will encourage greater confidence in giving.
Many, if not most, Americans have trouble finding the information they
need to evaluate charities and make decisions about giving. A detailed
donor expectations survey of 2,003 Americans commissioned by the Wise
Giving Alliance in the spring of 2001 found that 70% of adult Americans
said it was difficult to tell whether a charity soliciting their
contribution is legitimate. Public attention on charity accountability
has grown in recent years, particularly in the wake of September 11th
and a series of high profile charity scandals. In turn, charities
themselves are seeking credible means to ensure donors that they
operate ethically and in accordance with donor intentions. Moreover,
there have been numerous requests from charities over the years to be
able to advise donors that they meet BBB standards.
Q. Why are there two versions of the seal?
A. Each Better Business Bureau has the opportunity to offer the same
seal to their local charities. The set of standards under which each
Better Business Bureau conducts a review are the same, as is the seal.
The primary difference is a geographical indicator noted by the website
address near the bottom of the seal.
In our case, the local seal for the New York Metro BBB
Foundation is available to local New York charities that solicit funds
from the public.
Seals with the give.org website indicate that those charities
have been reviewed by the Wise Giving Alliance (WGA), the national
charity review program of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. After
the launch of the national seal program, it became available to the
national network of local Better Business Bureaus. Seals with the
newyork.bbb.org website indicate that those charities have been
reviewed by the New York Metro BBB Foundation.
Q. Until now charities couldn't tell donors that?
A. That’s correct. Because of a long-standing policy precluding use of
the BBB name by outside organizations, New York charities that met the
BBB charity standards were not permitted to state this fact in their
materials or to use the Better Business Bureau name. The New York Metro
BBB Foundation experimented with a Charity Identification Program for
several years. The results of that program helped to create the seal
program. The seal is offered as a voluntary option for those New York
organizations that the New York Metro BBB Foundation has determined
meet the BBB charity standards.
Q. How does the seal assist donors?
A. The seal provides a clear, concise and accessible means for
potential donors to find out if a New York charity meets the
comprehensive standards established by the New York Metro BBB
Foundation. Charities that qualify for the seal may display it in
printed solicitation materials, in advertisements, on their websites,
and in other approved venues. Furthermore, the seal helps to extend
public awareness of the New York Metro BBB Foundation's work in charity
accountability.
Q. How does the seal assist charities?
A. The seal provides charities with a widely recognized (surveys have
shown that 98% of the public is familiar with the Better Business
Bureau name) and meaningful mechanism by which to demonstrate their
commitment to accountability and ethical practices. Display of the seal
instantly conveys to the donor the charity's adherence to strong and
comprehensive standards.
Q. How is the seal program funded?
A. Qualified New York charities that participate in the seal program
pay an annual fee. The fee schedule is a sliding scale based on the
total amount of the charity's contribution revenues in the past year.
The fee amount ranges from $50 for a charity with $100,000 or less in
contributions revenue to a maximum of $5,000 for a charity that
receives contributions totaling $60 million or more.
Q. Which charities are eligible to display the seal?
A. Publicly-soliciting New York charities that are at least three years
old and meet all of the applicable Standards for Charity Accountability
are eligible to apply for the seal. Currently, the New York Metro BBB
Foundation reports on New York area charities that request to be
reviewed or have been the subject of recent public inquiries. However,
if a New York charity has not yet been evaluated and is interested in
applying for the seal program, the New York Metro BBB Foundation will
complete the requisite evaluation against its standards.
Q. How does the BBB seal differ from other efforts?
A. The New York Metro BBB Foundation looks beyond the surface and the
numbers, whereas many charity watchdogs simply report on charities'
finances. The New York Metro BBB Foundation evaluates each charity's
governance, fundraising practices, solicitations, and informational
materials, as well as how it spends its money. Therefore, compliance
with this seal sends a much more complete confirmation of the charity's
accountability.
Q. How are charities permitted to use the seal?
A. Permissible uses of the seal include the charity's direct mail
appeals, annual report, posters, newspaper and magazine advertisements,
billboards, websites, and television public service announcements. The
website seal features a "click to check" function that provides a
direct hyperlink to the New York Metro BBB Foundation report on the
organization.
Q. Does the New York Metro BBB Foundation report o...?
A. Yes, the New York Metro BBB Foundation produces reports on those New
York charities that are the subject of recent inquiries regardless of
whether the subject charity intends to apply for the seal. Reports on
both those New York charities that meet and those organizations that do
not meet the standards are freely accessible on this website. A
significant percentage of the New York Metro BBB Foundation charity
reports show the organization does not meet one or more of the
standards.
Q. How does the New York Metro BBB Foundation moni?
A. As with all charity reviews completed by the New York Metro BBB
Foundation, participating New York charities are required to submit a
variety of support documents and related information for the New York
Metro BBB Foundation to complete an evaluation in relation to its
standards including: audited financial statements, IRS Form 990,
bylaws, articles of incorporation, direct mail appeals, brochures,
budgets, board rosters, and tax exempt status determination letters.
Charity evaluations are effective for 2 years. However, they can be
amended at any time, based on new information or a change in charity
practice. The New York Metro BBB Foundation staff routinely monitors
seal holder organizations for adherence to seal program requirements.
In addition, the New York Metro BBB Foundation conducts Internet
monitoring for unauthorized online use of the seal. Further, the New
York Metro BBB Foundation will promptly investigate and act on any
donor and charity complaints related to seal usage.
If a New York charity participating in the seal program is found to no
longer meet the standards, the charity is required to remove the seal
from its website and to cease distribution of any printed materials
that display the seal. The New York Metro BBB Foundation alerts the
public to any seal abuses through prominent website notices, press
releases and other information channels.