Kris Kewitsch | Executive Director, Charities Review Council | June 2024
Nonprofits in the News
As the first Feeding Our Future trial concluded, the Council reflects on how this case shines a light on our mission and the nonprofit sector.
Unscrupulous nonprofits and individuals have been exploiting the needs of the moment for as long as nonprofits have been around. This is why, for almost 80 years, the Charities Review Council has served as a resource for Minnesota and beyond to help guide the public on informed charitable giving.
Our mission remains as relevant today as when we were founded in 1946 around legislative concerns that generous citizens wanting to support soldiers after World War II could be exploited by fundraisers.
Over time, our organization has shifted from a strict donor-protection focus to a more holistic focus on strengthening the entire nonprofit sector and building a robust culture of philanthropy, both by educating and mobilizing donors and by strengthening the work done by nonprofits.
Strong governance, sound financial practices, and transparency are the backbone of trust-worthy nonprofit organizations and healthy philanthropy. When an organization reflects the Council’s Accountability Standards®, donors and funders can feel confident their contributions are being directed toward mission work and having their intended impact.
Accountability matters—nonprofits that are not accountable hurt our sector and hurt our communities. At a time like this when the news cycle headlines are, rightly so, filled with the handful of nonprofits that have violated our trust, the Council heeds the public:
Remember, there are resources available that will help you feel confident in your charitable giving, including the Council’s list of reviewed Meets Standards® nonprofits.
Remember, most nonprofits ARE doing it right. Every day, accountable nonprofits are improving our communities through valuable programs – housing, tutoring, arts, environmental initiatives, and more.
The significant difference these nonprofits make in our communities may go unreported in the news, but one can easily see their impact ripple through our schools, neighborhoods, and homes when you look closely.
Don’t stop giving, give wisely! Our communities, our neighbors need us.
