Charities Review Council is updating the fee structure for our Accountability Wizard® review in the new year. These FAQs can answer general questions, and any further organization-specific questions can be directed to info@smartgivers.org.
The Council looks forward to continued partnership with the more than 600 nonprofit organizations we engaged with over the past year. We are committed to remaining a strong, dependable resource for you, so that you can continue to be a valuable resource for your communities.
When was the last time Charities Review Council changed its fee structure?
The Accountability Wizard® launched in 2005, and the Council has remained focused since then on keeping the review accessible and affordable for nonprofit partners. Now eight years out from the first fee structure change in 2014, the Council will change our fee structure in 2023 for only the second time in nearly two decades.
What will the new fee structure be?
Beginning in 2023, the Accountability Wizard® fee schedule will be based on .04% of your organization’s annual expenses. There is a minimum fee of $600 and a maximum of $4,500.
How does this impact my organization?
Meets Standards® organizations can expect an increase in fee from their previous review.
We know you care about building up and communicating out your internal strengths, and the Accountability Wizard® provides an effective avenue to do so. Demonstrating that you Meet Standards® is important to your board, donors, and partners. This fee restructure will sustain the high-quality support and resources you have come to expect from the Council, and it will help us maximize the usability of the tool. The increase in fee will make frequently requested upgrades possible; for example, enabling Wizard responses to carry over from previous cycles during a renewal is an enhancement we can now begin to pursue.
How does this impact the Council?
The Council incurs a cost for every Accountability Wizard® review conducted. Funds from corporate partners, family foundations, and generous donors have been directed primarily to keeping our online tools updated and affordable, but the gap that remains is not sustainable.
Accountability Wizard® is more than a certification; it’s an educational process that allows for self-guided and Council-guided reflection and solutions to some of nonprofit organizations’ most complex topics. The Council staff behind this online tool are available to answer any and all questions, and this personal, high-touch support requires significant depth, time, and capacity.
As a nonprofit sector, our tendency can be to overlook technology and to defray every expense from those we serve, even as realities shift. The decision to increase our fee schedule, while not easy, is one the Council knows will benefit the organization and those we serve in the end. Updating the fee structure enables us to continue advancing and investing in our technology, the main platform for our service delivery, and our people. The Council will still be absorbing expenses from these reviews, but a smaller gap will enable new improvements down the road.
Please contact us at info@smartgivers.org with questions specific to your organization.