Overhead Costs Pose Dilemma for Charities 6.3.2013

News: Overhead Costs Pose Dilemma for Charities 6.3.2013

By Suzanne Perry

Last fall, the International Rescue Committee mailed an eight-page newsletter to supporters that highlighted the work it was doing to help people displaced by famine, drought, and conflict in Africa’s Sahel region.

It included photos, articles, interviews, and statistics—and a prominent pie chart labeled: “IRC efficiency.”

Charity overhead stats are useful, but not in the way you think | Humanosphere

Charity overhead stats are useful, but not in the way you think | Humanosphere: Overhead has become a totem in the humanitarian world as charities and aid organizations seek to spend the most on services and the least on administrative costs.

Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System

By Caroline Preston

The watchdog group Charity Navigator revamped its ratings system this week as part of a plan to move beyond evaluating charities based solely on their financial performance.

The Web site now places equal weight on a charity’s governance and openness about its operation sas it does on financial information.

CEP | Beyond Administrative Cost Ratios | The Center for Effective Philanthropy

CEP | Beyond Administrative Cost Ratios | The Center for Effective Philanthropy: "While agreeing that the nonprofit sector must dramatically step up its effectiveness, I suggested in my Duke posts that it is important not to lose our appreciation of the distinct role of the sector by simply assuming that “business thinking” has all the answers. I also suggested that we need to recognize the successes (and failures) of the past – and present – from which we can learn. The fact is, there are excellent examples of effective philanthropic strategy that are older than any of us."

Gas guzzling nonprofits' money

Gas guzzling nonprofits' money: "Gas guzzling nonprofits' money
Rising fuel costs chip away at charities' budgets.
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AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, May 13, 2007

When gas prices go up, nonprofits get nervous. Charities that rely heavily on transportation — such as Meals on Wheels and More and the Capital Area Food Bank — always set aside money for gas. But the more they pay for fuel, the less they have to help needy people.

'That's money we can't spend on meals,' said Dan Pruett, president of Meals on Wheel and More."