Annual Report 2024

A Note from our Board Chair & Executive Director

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Dear Council friends and supporters,

At Charities Review Council, we are in the business of building bridges—bridges between donors and nonprofits, and bridges between nonprofits and their communities. At the heart of this work is accountability and trust: we ensure that donors are informed and confident givers, and that nonprofits know how to extend their impact and embrace healthy philanthropy.

Each bridge we build moves the needle on integrity in the nonprofit sector, helping us fulfill our mission to build donor and nonprofit relationships for strong, vibrant, and just communities. For nearly 80 years, the Council has guided the way with sought-after resources and reliable leadership. Our Accountability Standards® and nonprofit services strengthen more than 650 organizations, and our Smart Giver Newsletter informs more than 6,500 recipients annually.

There’s power in pathways that lead to lasting impact. When donors feel that they can give with confidence, nonprofits can root deeper and do more good. At a time of uncertainty in the nonprofit sector and in the world, the Council’s goal remains steadfast: to offer tools that enable healthy, vibrant communities.

Thank you for your continued trust in the Charities Review Council as we build bridges in Minnesota, across the country, and around the world.

Sincerely,

Kris Kewitsch, Executive Director
Stacy Nelson-Kumar, Board Chair

Meets Standards Across Minnesota

Rooted in Minnesota, Charities Review Council is building bridges of accountability across the state.

Building Bridges to a Brighter Future

We’re proud to partner with nonprofits like Bridges to Learning, a Minneapolis-based organization dedicated to empowering impoverished children in Vietnam. Bridges to Learning builds brighter futures through education, health services, and social development programs.

Executive Director Stacy Phan shared the impact of the Accountability Wizard® review process on their organization’s readiness to embrace growth. “Bridges to Learning first went through Charities Review Council’s assessment before I joined,” Stacy explained. “Since then, we’ve done the review twice. Every time, it’s helped us refine our practices, like updating our bylaws and adding a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statement.”

Partnering for Greater Impact

The Council’s relationship with organizations like Bridges to Learning goes beyond one-time assessment. “Every three years, going through the Accountability Wizard® feels like working with a trusted consultant” Stacy shared. The Council offers a non-judgmental, collaborative process that’s meant to help identify areas for growth, develop solutions, and strengthen operations.

Whether you’re a large organization or just starting out, the Accountability Wizard® provides a framework that helps ensure your organization is aligned with best practices, building trust, and operating as effectively as possible.

Changing Lives, One Child at a Time

Bridges to Learning is focused on improving the lives of children. Through their programs, hundreds of children are kept in school each year—kids who might otherwise be forced into street labor or isolated in rural villages without education. “Without our support, many of these children would likely end up working on the streets or in remote villages,” Stacy said. “We are here to change that narrative and give these kids hope for a brighter future.”

Accountability Wizard Impact in 2024

The Wizard works! In 2024, 70% of Accountability Wizard users made changes to their governance procedures or policies, indicating the Wizard’s direct impact as an effective tool for improving organizational strength and capacity.

Each time a nonprofit earns the Meets Standards® seal, Charities Review Council succeeds in building bridges in the community, creating and maintaining beneficial relationships between nonprofits, donors, and the general public.

After engaging the Accountability Wizard®, Wings for Widows reported: Based on the Accountability Wizard® suggestions, Wings for Widows completely revamped our HR policies, payroll, employee benefits, and diversity, equity, and inclusion training/best practices for 2024.

2024 Financials

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At Charities Review Council, we believe that public disclosure of financial information demonstrates a nonprofit’s commitment to transparency and accountability. Therefore, we’ve included our year-end financial statements and IRS Form 990 below.