Attorney Basic James Releases Yearly “Pennies for Charity” Report

Attorney Basic James Releases Yearly “Pennies for Charity” Report

New Report Reveals Charitable Supplying Strategies Raised over
$1.7 Billion in 2021, Virtually $250 Million Far more than 2020

Professional Fundraisers Attained Above $460 Million,
More Than a Quarter of Complete Charitable Campaign Donations

Forward of Giving Tuesday, Report Lays Out Guidelines to Defend Donors’ Wallets from Scams

NEW YORK – In progress of Supplying Tuesday and the holiday time, New York Attorney Standard Letitia James now produced her annual “Pennies for Charity: Fundraising by Experienced Fundraisers” report, which analyzes details submitted to the Office environment of the Legal professional General’s (OAG) Charities Bureau by experienced fundraisers on their 2021 charitable fundraising strategies in New York. The report appears to be at tendencies in the sector, provides advice and tips for donors, and presents charities facts on fundraisers’ functionality. This year’s report discovered that professional fundraisers obtained in excess of a quarter of just about every dollar donated to charities that employed them in 2021 in service fees and expenses — a whole of additional than $460 million. Analyzing 658 campaigns conducted by expert fundraisers in 2021, the report finds that charities been given 73 % of donations, in line with the 12 months prior and a compact boost from 2019. Skilled fundraisers are outside, for-financial gain organizations usually employed by charities to run campaigns. 

“When New Yorkers make the generous alternative to give to a charity, they belief that their funds will be used responsibly,” claimed Attorney Standard James. “In advance of the vacation period and Giving Tuesday tomorrow, New Yorkers can rest assured that my office is operating each and every working day to shield their wallets and provide the transparency they so rightly are entitled to. I stimulate anyone planning to donate this time to consult with our recommendations for charitable providing to guarantee their thoughtful present goes to the suitable put.” 

New York is home to numerous diverse charitable organizations and institutions, which like all parts of our culture, confronted lots of troubles during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the pandemic’s continuing economic affect and limitations on in-human being activities, donations rose to in excess of $1.7 billion in 2021 — an improve of almost $250 million from 2020 and in excess of $400 million from 2019 pre-pandemic contributions. Other report results incorporate:  

  • In 276 strategies — 42 p.c — charities gained a lot less than 50 p.c of cash lifted, with specialist fundraisers retaining the relaxation. 
  • In 96 strategies — 15 per cent — charges exceeded revenue and price tag charities in excess of $10 million. This is much less conditions than final calendar year for both of those findings. 

This year’s Pennies for Charity report features facts from reports filed with OAG’s Charities Bureau by professional fundraisers for charity strategies performed in 2021. Professional fundraisers will have to sign up with OAG and their financial studies will have to crack down the campaign’s earnings and expenses. The report and the searchable Pennies for Charity databases containing the conclusions of those people experiences are posted on the Charities Bureau web page.

The report also lays out guidelines for donors to abide by prior to donating more than the telephone, by mail, or on the web to guarantee that their contributions access the leads to they intend to guidance. The report is connected previously mentioned for a whole guideline, but vital tips to hold in mind include:   

  • If you are contacted by a telemarketer, ask thoughts to make an educated determination: New York law demands telemarketers soliciting for charities to make particular disclosures to probable donors and prohibits them from earning wrong, misleading, or misleading statements to contributors. Telemarketers are expected to convey to possible donors their names, which expert fundraiser employs them, and if the telemarketer is getting paid out. Donors might also ask what percentage of their donation will go to the fundraiser for costs and bills. 
  • If you get a direct mail charitable attraction, confirm the soliciting organization: Does the business have a name that sounds like a nicely-identified charity? Double-check — is it the one particular you believe it is? Does the mailing assert to stick to up on a pledge that you do not recall earning? Does it clearly describe the applications that the charity programs to fund with your donation? 
  • If you are donating on-line, do your investigation to start with: Donating online or by way of an application is hassle-free for donors and can be price helpful for a charity. But ahead of hitting “Send,” donors must test no matter whether a campaign is respectable. Beneath are methods to choose prior to donating on the net:
    • Some on line platforms that host teams and men and women soliciting for causes do not get hold of authorization from charities, or vet all those charities who use their services. Donors must only give to strategies performed by persons whom they know. Donors also should really look at what costs they will be charged and make absolutely sure that the charity has given its permission for the use of its title or symbol. The internet site or the charity need to verify that the charity has accredited the marketing campaign.
    • When donating on line, make guaranteed the internet site is protected: The world wide web address should begin with “https.” Except the charity makes use of a separate payment web page, the world wide web tackle ought to match that of the corporation that will acquire the donation.
    • Be wary of electronic mail solicitations that check with you to simply click a connection or open up attachments. These could be phishing scams that test to trick you into giving out your credit score card variety, Social Safety selection, or other private facts.
    • Extra info about OAG’s Charities Bureau and companies it regulates may be discovered on the internet. If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its function or that a rip-off is getting put, make sure you get hold of OAG’s Charities Bureau at [email protected] or (212) 416-8401.

This report was authored by Director of Registration and Fundraising Sections Hanna Rubin and Fundraising Supervisor Siobhan Blank of the Charities Bureau. Facts examination was finished by Details Analyst Anushua Choudhury of the Study and Analytics Office, beneath the supervision of Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt and Director Jonathan Werberg. The Charities Bureau is led by Bureau Chief James Sheehan and Deputy Bureau Main Karin Kunstler Goldman. The Charities Bureau is a aspect of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Legal professional Common Meghan Faux and is overseen by Very first Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.