How charities spend?
"Only about half of what is pledged by rich countries ever ends up reaching the poorest people affected by these disasters," Max Lawson of the charity Oxfam told CBC Radio.
External Links: Canadian Revenue Agency: charities directorate
Check the financial statements of the major aid organizations and you'll discover the majority of funds donated go towards projects. For instance, according to the 2003/2004 annual reports of some of the country's top charities:
- Oxfam Canada spends 77 per cent of its revenues on programs.
- The Canadian Red Cross allocates almost 90 per cent of revenues towards services.
- In Care Canada's case, it's 95 per cent.
- For Doctors Without Borders, it's about 75 per cent.
- For Canadian Food for the Hungry International, it's 97 per cent.
External Links: Canadian Revenue Agency: charities directorate
Atheistbishop at 2:12:00 pm |
Use charitynavigator.org. They have an awful lot of statistics that can be used to compare charities and find out how much overhead they have.
What is meant by Programs? Is the money being spent on programs that help people develope their area and become more independent and live better, or does Programs mean the officerrs of the charity are riding around in limozines?
I wanted to add a point which no one is highlighting.
I wanted to donate to Red Cross, and so i wanted to know how much will reach the victims. Promptly some one pointed out 9% overhead and 91% for "programs". What it does not tell you is red cross gives no guarantee on WHERE the program is run. i.e. Red Cross gives no guarantee that the money you give for Tsunamis will reach them at all. At their discretion
I wanted to add a point which no one is highlighting.
I wanted to donate to Red Cross, and so i wanted to know how much will reach the victims. Promptly some one pointed out 9% overhead and 91% for "programs". What it does not tell you is red cross gives no guarantee on WHERE the program is run. i.e. Red Cross gives no guarantee that the money you give for Tsunamis will reach them at all. At their discretion they may send it to Iraq or anywhere else they deem fit.
Which is why i would recommend finding a charity which guarantees where the aid goes and not general programs (all of which you may not be wanting to contribute to)
My 2 cents.
Donate wisely.