Philanthropy in Times of Need
Kris Kewitsch | Executive Director, Charities Review Council | April 2025
In 1946, Minnesota’s leading citizens created the Minnesota Community Research Council (now Charities Review Council) out of concern that the generosity the community displayed in support of soldiers fighting in World War II would be exploited by national organizations lacking transparency.
The intent was not to inhibit charitable giving; in fact, just the opposite. The purpose was to mitigate the risk of donor exploitation so that individuals could give confidently to trustworthy organizations.
The care required to sustain healthy philanthropy has proven not to be timebound, and while there may always be some ill-intended actors that attempt to mislead or take advantage of the generosity of others, we must not let that stand in the way of the potential that can be realized when donors, funders, and trustworthy nonprofits build relationships and achieve impact.
2025 marks another time of concern for philanthropy. Household and nonprofit budgets are stretched thin, funding has fallen back to prepandemic levels, and the uncertainty of government funding looms large. At the same time, nonprofits continue to experience increased demand for their services. In the midst of all this, the ongoing Feeding Our Future investigation, the largest pandemic-related fraud case in the U.S., leaves donors questioning how to safely contribute and nonprofits questioning how to distinguish themselves as trustworthy.
The Council’s sound resources and steady guidance offer one powerful antidote.
Donors can confidently support the nonprofits providing vital services and facing grave challenges by applying smart giving practices as they extend generosity:
Confirm a nonprofit is registered with the state and IRS – ag.state.mn.us and irs.gov.
Review a nonprofit’s print and online materials for transparency, good governance, and evident impact. The Council’s Accountability Standards® and Meets Standards® Seal indicates nonprofits that meet key standards and prioritize accountability.
Nonprofits can meaningfully connect with donors who are reconciling the recent headlines about charitable fraud with the recent headlines about nonprofits’ growing need and shrinking funding by:
Sharing accessible financial reports and annual reports to demonstrate transparency.
Displaying your strength by highlighting internal and external steps you take to be accountable – financial audits, IRS Form 990s, indicators like the Meets Standards® Seal earned through the Council’s Accountability Wizard® review process.
The past has shown that we can get through times of uncertainty, continue to show up for each other, and realize deep impacts when we foster trust and carry forward the Council’s enduring principle – accountability is both a requirement and an outcome of healthy philanthropy.
