Accountable Fundraising - Blog Pinker - World News Blog Website and Articles

Accountable Fundraising

Monday, 20 August 2007

How many times have you been asked to make a donation to an organization, which you generously do, and then walk away without a clue what happened to the money? With all the scandals involved in improper use of charitable funds it is not surprising that the current trend in fundraising is in accountable fundraising. Accountable fundraising is a new trend in charitable organizations that hold members "accountable" for their contributions by presenting them with reports and direct evidence of their fundraising efforts. Donor’s and organization members then decide which causes the charity will fund.

This accountability comes from members taking an active role in the choices that are made and final results. The decisions are usually made in the form of a vote, where organizational members select a specific program or charity that they wish to fund.
For instance, an organization may be debating between building a children’s playground and purchasing new park benches for the business district in the traditional fundraising style the decision may have been influenced by the fact that the chairperson’s brother sold playground equipment and stood to make a nice commission. In accountable fundraising every major monetary decision is voted on by the members making nepotism easier to prevent.

Accountability to non-member donors may take the form of reports showing expenses and prospective deadlines for construction projects. Any donor can look at the reports to see that the funds are being spent legitimately and responsibly. This has the added advantage of donor’s being able to point out better bargains of which they maybe aware before making major purchases.

Strong willed officials maybe a little reluctant to allow complete disclosure of fundraising practices and expenditures but if all financial and construction decisions are ethical then the charitable can only be strengthened by having such an open policy of accountable fundraising.

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