Fundraising Nets 37% For Charities, NY AG Says

by Gary Snyder

According to the New York attorney general’s Pennies for Charity, Where Your Money Goes: Telemarketing by Professional Fundraisers, in 2010, an average of just 34.6 cents of every charitable dollar raised by these professional telemarketing companies in Western New York actually went to charity. By comparison, just 36.9 cents per dollar go to charities statewide. Many charities across the state received even less – and in 61 of the 564 telemarketing campaigns, the charities actually lost money. In total, 63 percent, or $157 million, of the funds raised by 81 telemarketers in 2010 was paid to fundraisers for fees and/or used to cover the costs of conducting the campaigns. By comparison, charities retained 37 percent, or $92 million, of the total funds raised in the campaigns. (link)

Nonprofit Imperative gathers its information principally from public documents...some of which are directly quoted. Virtually all cited are in some phase of criminal proceedings; some have not been charged, however. Cites in various media: Featured in print, broadcast, and online media outlets, including: Vermont Public Radio, Miami Herald, National Public Radio, Huffington Post, The Sun News, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Wall Street Journal (Profile, News and Photos), FOX2, ABC Spotlight on the News, WWJ Radio, Ethics World, Aspen Philanthropy Newsletter, Harvard Business Review, Current Affairs, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, St. Petersburg Times, B, USA Today Topics, , Newsweek.com, Responsive Philanthropy Magazine, New York Times...and many more • Nonprofits: On the Brink (iUniverse, 2006)