Good will and charity come with the territory in late December, but the state Division of Consumer Affairs wants donors to know who they’re dealing with.
On Monday the division released its annual list of the 10 charities New Jersey residents inquire about most, as part of its Investigate Before You Donate campaign. The results show a wide disparity in where donor dollars go among several charities.
The Lyndhurst-based New Jersey Police Officers Foundation, for example, spends less than 11 cents of each dollar on the organization’s stated mission to provide support to other charities and work for the advancement of the Italian-American community, 87 cents on fundraising, and the remaining two cents on management and general expenses, the division reported.
By contrast, the Kentucky-based Christian Appalachian Project spends 91 cents toward the group’s stated mission to provide physical, spiritual, and emotional support to poverty-stricken residents of the Appalachian region. Five cents of each dollar go toward fundraising and four cents go toward management and general expenses.
According to the Better Business Bureau, a charity should dedicate at least 65 percent of its expenses toward program activities, and no more than 35 percent to fundraising. This year’s top 10 most-inquired-about charities are:
New Jersey Police Officers Association: Spends 10.8 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 87 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $931,126.
Police Athletic League of New Jersey: Spends 39.6 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 50 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $996,676.
Paralyzed Veterans of America: Spends 60 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 31.8 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $110,781,205.
Wounded Warrior Project: Spends 64.1 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 28.3 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $34,843,801.
Help Hospitalized Veterans: Spends 64.5 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 27.5 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $37,837,593.
Breast Cancer Society of America: Spends 69.8 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 29.5 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $47,985,521.
Smile Train: Spends 78 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 21 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $86,267,187.
United Service Organizations: Spends 79.3 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 13.5 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $174,716,310.
Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation: Spends 85.5 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 10 cents on fundraising. Total budget not listed.
Christian Appalachian Project: Spends 90.6 cents per dollar on charitable program expenses; 5.1 cents on fundraising. Total budget: $132,680,466.
For a full list of charities and a more detailed breakdown of how they spend their money, visit www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/charity/inquired/#list
