Laurie Styron's Links:

• Has CERF+‘s fundraising kept pace with its expanding mission? — Hot Sheet — Glass Quarterly — UrbanGlass

  “If you were looking at the website, you would get the impression that your money is going to go to these artists,” said Laurie Styron, an analyst at the charity watchdog American Institute of Philanthropy. “They’re clearly spending way more on other things, programmatically, than on direct assistance. If it’s their key fundraising point, then they aren’t being clear with people that it’s not really what their primary program is as an organization.”

• Fox Tampa | Fundraisers getting much of the cash from charity for troopers? - FOX 13 News

  "This organization conducted a telemarketing campaign in which the fundraiser kept 80 percent of the donations it raised, that leaves 20 percent of the organization funds to use to help troopers," explained Laurie Styron, an analyst for the American Institute of Philanthropy, a charity watchdog group. "Our telemarketers or fundraisers, as I like to call them, they collect money for us and they get to keep most of it," said Howes. Subtract operating expenses and that 20 percent going to help troopers and their families drops to just 16 percent. That's why AIP, Styron's watchdog group, gave the American Association of State Troopers a failing grade.

• Fox Business | Where the Money Goes: How to Donate Safely During Breast Cancer Month

  Researching different charities and products for a breakdown of how funds are allocated is time consuming and most charities and companies don’t make it accessible, according to Laurie Styron, charity analyst. "Even if you want to do your homework, the public has no way of confirming," says Styron. "Information isn't available and companies don't want to give it to you."If you are asked by a cashier, telemarketer or someone on the street to donate to a charity, Styron said to be wary. "Generally speaking, only about one-third of what you donate to a telemarketer gets to charity," she says. "Don't respond to telemarketing calls or feel pressured to give on the spot.""People confuse the cause with the specific charity associated with the cause," Styron says. "People say, 'I care about saving the dolphins, or breast cancer, or recycling ,' and hand money over, because they think it's associated with the cause." Also think about direct mail solicitation, which can oftentimes be considered "awareness," as long as there is some type of educational information presented in the message, Styron says. "They are basically calling ‘fundraising’, ‘awareness’.”

• MSN Canada: Federal workers aid suspect charities

  The use of CFC participation as a badge of honor by participating charities creates a problem for all donors, not just federal workers, since donors may think the government has investigated the groups, says Laurie Styron, an analyst for the American Institute of Philanthropy, another watchdog group. That’s no big deal if you’re wealthy enough to hire an investigator, “but if you’re a little old lady giving $100 a year, you think this group has a governmental seal of approval and you think these groups have really been checked out,” Styron said.

• Cashathon: The Rise of Charity Races - WSJ

  True, says Laurie Styron, an analyst at the philanthropy institute. But she adds that awareness may not be a donor's first priority, especially ...

• Getting Ahead by Giving Back | Physicians Practice

  There’s no question, philanthropy is a win-win for small businesses, says Laurie Styron, an analyst. “Coming together collectively to contribute donations or volunteer time toward a common cause can help to build a sense of camaraderie and common purpose among employees,” she says.You’ll get better employee buy-in, of course, if you look for a cause that your staff can rally around. Better yet, make them part of the process. Styron suggests holding a staff meeting to solicit input. “Be sure to give each employee an equal voice in choosing which cause or charity to support, as people are more likely to participate if they feel they have participated in the decision making process,” she says. “It’s equally important to be considerate of your employees’ privacy, as well as their time or financial limitations by not making public the amount each person contributes. This will help to make the act of giving together a positive experience rather than a stressful or divisive one.” “You need to make sure you go beyond just selecting a cause,” says Styron. “There may be 100 groups working toward cures for cancer, but it doesn’t mean they’re good at it.” Some spend only 10 percent of what they collect on their actual program, she says.

• 10 News Investigators: Veterans Support Organization (VSO ...

  Dec 19, 2011 - "The charity is reporting zero fundraising expenses," noted the AIP's Laurie Styron. "The charity is claiming that expenses like $151,300 in ...

• Reaching out: Companies find that charity is good business - Las Cruces Sun-News

  Find out about expenses: Even if the charity is a good one, you might feel cheated if you later find out that most of your gift went to pay the people who called you up and asked for money, or to pay the salaries of the group's top officers. In general, efficient groups will spend at least 65 percent of their funds on the causes they support, says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the Chicago-based American Institute of Philanthropy. LAS CRUCES

• Charity Run By NFL Legend Mike Ditka Folds -By NBC News Channel MINNEAPOLIS

  "In 2005 the group gave out more money to pay celebrities to play golf than the group in its entire three years of operation gave out to injured players," explained Laurie Styron. She also said it appeared to be unintentional. "It doesn't appear there was ill intent, it appears there was just a lot of mismanagement."

• Shawnee Dispatch | Questions arise over leader of Tonganoxie-based charity

  Laurie Styron, a nonprofit analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy, advised donors to focus on well-established nonprofits, and she recommended avoiding donating to groups soliciting in front of stores, especially if they’re an unknown group. “Don’t give on the spot,” she said.

• Charitable Giving: How to Check Up on Charities - CUNA

  If you contribute to a charitable organization, do you know how your dollars are being put to work? Laurie Styron, analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), Chicago, discusses the AIP's charity rating system, which is determined by the charity's allocation of its donations.

• Some Treasure Coast professionals find it pays to work for a ...

  Laurie Styron, an analyst at CharityWatch, said she often hears would-be contributors say they want their money to go to the program, not to overhead.And it isn't necessarily in a nonprofit's best interest to keep salaries low, Styron said. "If paying more for better-qualified people makes a nonprofit operate more efficiently and provide more and better services," she said, "it's money well spent.""That's not to say there aren't people who get excessive compensation (from nonprofits)," Styron said. "There definitely are. ... "Nonprofits have to compete with the private sector for employees, so there's no absolute dollar figure you can point to and say, 'Oh, that's too much to pay.' You have to consider all the contexts involved. The amount of money a nonprofit pays someone may seem high, but maybe that's what they need to pay to attract someone who can do the job effectively.""Hospitals are a different animal than most nonprofits," said Styron. "Most typical nonprofits, such as a homeless shelter or a group that collects money and provides services for local veterans, get most of their income from contributions. Hospitals usually get a tiny percentage of their income from (contributions)." Most of a nonprofit hospital's income is program service revenue, Styron said, money paid for services provided, either by individuals or private insurance or government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. "So in this way, they're not that different from a for-profit hospital," she added.

• Fox News | Where to Give As Veterans Get Shortchanged By Charities

  The problem is even more significant because some 200,000 veterans — or about a third of the entire adult homeless population — are living on the streets. "A huge percentage of our homeless are veterans," said AIP analyst Laurie Styron. "There's a lot of need for veterans out there." "The biggest concern is just how highly inefficient many of the veterans' groups tend to be," Styron said. "It’s a highly popular cause. It’s a cause that’s easy to raise money for because it tugs at the heartstrings. It’s easy to guilt people into giving."

• Media — Styron Consulting

  Laurie Styron has worked with a wide range of media outlets on investigative pieces involving nonprofits, conducting research and financial analysis, and ...

• For Charities — Styron Consulting

  Laurie Styron links to web sites of interest to charities.

• Maximize Charitable Donations by Contributing from your IRA — Styron Consulting

  Of course, contributing to charity from your IRA is not the only way to make a tax-free donation. Itemizers of any age can also generally deduct up to 50% of adjusted gross income (computed without regard to net operating losses or carrybacks) for contributions made to public charities and certain other non-profits. To take a deduction for the 2014 tax year donations must actually be paid before the close of the tax year. Expressing an intent to donate but not sending funds to the charity until 2015 will generally not qualify for a 2014 tax deduction.

• How to Give to Charity the Right Way - Health.com

  Don't let guilt guide your giving You're emerging from Macys, arms bulging with gifts. How could you not give a few dollars to the person soliciting for a good cause outside the door? Heres why not: “You have no idea if its a legitimate charity or representative,” says Laurie Styron, an analyst. “And if you give cash, you have no way to make sure it got to the group.”

• GAIA gets the boot from Indy | News | NUVO News | Indianapolis, IN

  According to AIP analyst Laurie Styron, the F rating stems from the group's fund raising inefficiency and low percentage spent on charitable programs. Charitable programs account for only 1 percent of Gaia's budget. Tax forms indicate that Gaia's primary program is environmental education through used clothing collection "to avoid these items filling up landfills and thereby contributing to increased carbon dioxide and global warming." Styron says it is "quite a leap" to claim that the primary benefit of Gaia's clothing collection is environmental, since there are many charities competing for clothing donations and it is doubtful the clothes would end up in landfills without Gaia's work. "What it comes down to is donor intent," Styron says via e-mail. "Are people donating clothes to Gaia with the intent that they be sold for a profit, or do they intend for them to be given to people in need or used by the charity in its programs?"

• Laurie Styron Archives » All Sides with Ann Fisher

  Content tagged with Laurie Styron. ... Archived Programs · Mass Incarceration Series · About All Sides · Contact Us. Archives: Laurie Styron. August 3, 2011 ...

• Do Some Charities Become Too Good for... - Styron Consulting, LLC | Facebook

  Do Some Charities Become Too Good for Their Own Good? I read an interesting article in The Huffington Post recently by Kathleen P. Enright, the head of...

• Charitable Giving: How Is Your Money Being Spent ...

  "If you are in a position to make large donations to charity, it is easier to put restrictions on how the funds may be used by the charity and track the results," says Laurie Styron." For donors making smaller gifts, following up on your donation requires you to look at how efficiently the charity is operating on the whole," says Styron. "Even if the charity happened to use your $100 donation on feeding hungry kids, for example, if it spent the vast majority of its other expenses on fundraising and other overhead that year, clearly this is not a group that is accomplishing what it should relative to the donations it receives."

• Chicago Tribune | When you buy or think pink, know where your green is going

  "As long as direct mail includes some kind of 'education,' then they think they can count that as one of their programs," said Laurie Styron, an analyst at the American Institute of Philanthropy. Styron combs through the finances of charities to separate fundraising from programs.

• USA Today | FBI tackling rising number of Haiti scams

  “Choose the charity you want to (support) before you’re asked,” says Laurie Styron, a Charitywatch analyst. “If you give in response to someone pressuring you . . . you don’t have time to check out the group. Don’t feel guilty about saying, ‘No,’ “ Styron says.

• In this season of giving, open the checkbook, but give it some thought - SFGate

  "Sometimes when there is an excellently run charity, another one will pop up and name themselves something similar," says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy, a watchdog organization.

• Weird Al Schools Us on Synergy in his song

  A friend who also works in the non-profit sector sent me a link today of a Weird Al song/video called "Mission Statement," that pokes fun at this overuse of corporate speak. It's all about achieving "Synergy." I for one think achieving synergy is a worthy goal. But...I can also take a joke. I hope you have a laugh watching this video.

• Komen defends its 'For the Cure" trademark protection

  With more than 2 million charities in the country, there are just so many words and colors that can be used, and legal wrangling about pink and “for the cure” begins to “sound ridiculous,” said Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy. “This could really backfire if Komen takes it too far.”

• "laurie styron" brian williams - hotpz.com

  Stephen Colbert lampooned it. The Huffington Post highlighted some of its aggressive legal actions against small mom-and-pop charities.

• Check-a-Charity — Styron Consulting

  "Retain Laurie Styron for general consulting about your charitable giving decisions or engage her for one-time consulting about a specific organization you are considering supporting. If you are passionate about certain causes but need assistance identifying specific charities working efficiently and effectively in those causes, Laurie Styron can help"

• Nonprofit Imperative : Too Few Charity Regulators

  “In 2008, the Defeat Diabetes Foundation spent only 17 percent of its cash budget on it's programs, with the remainder being spent on fundraising and other overhead, so it received an 'F' rating for financial efficiency from AIP,” said Laurie Styron, an AIP analyst. In 2008, $728,000 went to professional fundraisers and $164,000 went to Defeat Diabetes.

• 5 Reasons Giving Anonymously to Charity Makes Better Use of your Donation — Styron Consulting

  "No Tax Write-Offs: If you itemize your taxes each year and meet IRS requirements to write-off charitable donations, giving to charity anonymously may not be an option. Generally you will need to acquire receipts with personally identifiable information from the charity to prove your donation. Cash donations of less than $250 can be documented with a cancelled check, bank record, or a receipt from the charity containing the charity's name, and the date and amount of the donation. To write-off cash donations of $250 or more a receipt is required and a cancelled check or bank record will not suffice."

• Laurie Styron | LinkedIn

  Laurie Styron, Accountant & Non-Profit Financial Analyst. Charities, charitable giving, accounting services for charities, advice for donors

• Kiplinger's Personal Finance

  Ending one year in negative territory doesn’t necessarily mean the organization is going under, says Laurie Styron. But if the organization comes up short for several years in a row, she says, “that’s an indication it could be winding down. Your contribution could be used to pay legal fees or creditors rather than the programs you are intending to support.”

• Laurie Styron
• For Grantmakers — Styron Consulting

  "Retain Laurie Styron for general consulting about your ongoing grantmaking decisions or engage her for one-time consulting about a specific organization you are considering supporting."

• Stop Junk Telemarketing Calls

  Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy talking about how so-called "professional fund raisers" keep the lion's share of the money donated from telemarketing campaigns.

• Harold Camping Oct. 21 Rapture: Is Family Radio a Trusted ...

  The Christian Post spoke with Laurie Styron, an analyst for American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), a nonprofit charity watchdog and ...

• Breast Cancer Research: How To Donate | BlackDoctor

  Researching different charities and products for a breakdown of how funds are allocated is time consuming and most charities and companies don’t make it accessible, according to Laurie Styron, charity analyst for watchdog group, the American Institute of Philanthropy. “Even if you want to do your homework, the public has no way of confirming,” says Styron. “Information isn’t available and companies don’t want to give it to you.” Also, Styron says to remember that most of the money being raised in these events is for awareness, not research. “Part of what they are trying to accomplish is breast cancer awareness. If you are someone participating in these events and think that everything you raise is somehow going to research, you are wrong.”

• Los Angeles Times: How much pink turns into green?

  "As long as direct mail includes some kind of 'education,' then they think they can count that as one of their programs," says Laurie Styron, an analyst at the American Institute of Philanthropy who combs through the finances of charities to separate fundraising from programs.

• Blog — Styron Consulting

  Laurie Styron provides commentary and helps donors understand topical news stories affecting the non-profit sector as well as issues at specific charities.

• Lancaster Online | Check before you chuck: tips on donating clothing - News ...

  "Most charity workers are honest, but the anonymity of placing something in a bin without getting a receipt presents an ideal opportunity for theft," Styron said. Charities, charitable giving, advice for donors

• VIDEO - How much cash goes to help veterans? - FOX 13 News

  VIDEO: "This is a charity that is essentially a one-man operation from a governance perspective," says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy." What should be a very big red flag for donors is that there are some discrepancies with what the charity reports on its website and what the charities financial reporting tells us," she said.

• Fox Lubbuck - How to Choose and Evaluate a Charity Before Giving

  Laurie Styron, an analyst for the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), adds that many people mistakenly assume all charities are worthwhile, or that they are monitored by the government to ensure they are fulfilling their mission "In truth, under the First Amendment, the government is not allowed to mandate that a charity spend a minimum percentage of your donations on bona fide charitable programs,” says Styron. “Charities just have to show that they are doing something charitable, which in the worst case can mean that only 1 percent of what you donate will be used for charitable programs."

• Wall Street Journal - How to Check Out a Charity's Financial Health - WSJ

  "Charities' financials are just as complicated as those of a corporation, if not more," says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the nonprofit watchdog service CharityWatch, based in Chicago. "Be careful as a layman of reading too much into these." It's important to do financial checks, Ms. Styron says, but when in doubt, she advises donating to a charity that has a good reputation.

• Styron Consulting, LLC | Facebook

  Styron Consulting, LLC, Chicago, Illinois. 109 likes. Financial analyst, accounting consultant, & CPA candidate dedicated to improving charity governance, financial reporting, & accountability.

• Commercial real estate firm hired to market Pouch Camp

  "On the hierarchy of who they should have their hand out to, the national should be pretty high up on that list," Laurie Styron, an analyst for AIP, said of the financially-struggling Greater New York Councils of Boy Scouts. "Based purely on the numbers, the national has the resources to do it," she added.

• For Donors — Styron Consulting

  Laurie Styron links to web sites of interest to donors seeking information about charities.

• Ditka Charity Folds - KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and Sports

  "In 2005 the group gave out more money to pay celebrities to play golf than the group in its entire three years of operation gave out to injured players," explained Laurie Styron of the American Institute of Philanthropy. She also said it appeared to be unintentional. "It doesn't appear there was ill intent, it appears there was just a lot of mismanagement."

• Lowell Sun | Sun Santa sets new record, tops $200G - Lowell Sun Online

  Laurie Styron, an analyst at the American Institute of Philanthropy, said that even during recessions, the end of the year is typically a time when donations to charities spike. "The holidays always inspire people to give over the last few months of year," she said.

• 'Smile' charity leaders in midst of decade-long feud

  But Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy, said competition for donor dollars is fierce among charities in this economic climate, particularly among groups that do similar work. Americans gave an estimated $307 billion to charity in 2008, a 5.7 percent drop from 2007 in inflation-adjusted dollars - in the first decline since 1987, according to Giving USA, a foundation that studies charitable giving. Styron said that while large organizations often make donations to smaller ones, in an outsourcing type of arrangement, "there's more than what's apparent" in this case because of the rivalry between the two charities.

• CBS Pittsburgh | Controversy Surrounds Planet Aid Organization’s Collection Boxes | Stuck in Pittsburgh

  “They are really playing some accounting tricks here because once you reallocate all their clothing collection costs back into fundraising – where it really belongs – they actually spend a very low percentage of their budget each year on their programs,” Laurie Styron, of Charity Watch, said.

• Kiplinger's Personal Finance

  Ending one year in negative territory doesn’t necessarily mean the organization is going under, says Laurie Styron. But if the organization comes up short for several years in a row, she says, “that’s an indication it could be winding down. Your contribution could be used to pay legal fees or creditors rather than the programs you are intending to support.”

• Check Your Charities - Natural Health

  “People frequently make a donation to a charity because they like the cause, but without fully understanding the types of programs they are supporting, or how much of their donation will actually go to the cause itself,” notes Laurie Styron. You can further narrow your search by deciding where you want your money to go. “Some cancer charities will spend most of your donation on research, others on direct assistance to patients and still others on pamphlets, TV ads and other types of awareness,” says Styron. “Don’t assume that just because a charity has a cause you believe in that it operates the types of programs you are interested in supporting.” Do your due diligence and donate from there.

• San Diego Uptown News Premier culinary event benefits Mama’s Kitchen

  Laurie Styron, an analyst with charitywatch.org, said organizations across the country such as Mama’s Kitchen have been seeing an increase in volunteers during the down economy. “Some of it is certainly altruism, but another aspect of it is people are just available when previously they haven’t been,” Styron said. “People who’ve been unable to find work are using volunteering as an opportunity to gain valuable experience to improve their resume or, in some cases, they’re looking for networking opportunities. It’s definitely better than sitting at home waiting for a job to come to you.”

• MarketWatch | Are Charity Walks and Races Worth the Effort?

  True, says Laurie Styron, an analyst. But she adds that awareness may not be a donor's first priority, especially when it comes to breast cancer, "which people are very, very aware of already." Supporters need to consider whether they want their donations paying for water bottles, tents and pasta dinners, she says. Others question the walkathon movement altogether, citing the relatively high cost of special-event fund-raising -- typically 50 cents on the dollar -- compared with the nonprofit average of 15 to 20 cents on the dollar.

• Red Cross Accused of Diverting Assets from Storm Victims in Favor of Image Promotion — Styron Consulting

  "Donors do need to understand that disaster relief is not an exact science and that it is unrealistic to expect the Red Cross and other relief organizations to perfectly predict where and when aid is most needed, and to distribute that aid with no waste and zero victims falling through the cracks. These organizations rely on a lot of volunteers who may not be adequately skilled or trained to perform all the tasks needed to assist those affected. And by their very nature disasters and their resulting effects on transportation routes, electrical grids, and other infrastructure present frustrating challenges that are not always easily or efficiently overcome. Some slack, issues with resource distribution, and response lag-time is par for the course, within reason."

• Do some charities become too good for their own good? — Styron Consulting

  "Punishing charities that prove themselves to be highly efficient and effective by pulling their funding amounts to promoting mediocrity in the best case, and failure in the worst case. It communicates the message, "We will reward you with more funding if you do a bad job because we like to feel needed, and punish you and the beneficiaries of your work if you do a good job." This is absurd."

• Laurie Styron Archives » All Sides with Ann Fisher

  Content tagged with Laurie Styron. ... Archived Programs · Mass Incarceration Series · About All Sides · Contact Us. Archives: Laurie Styron. August 3, 2011 ...

• Lawrence Journal Worldwide | Concerns raised about overhead costs of Tonganoxie-based nonprofit Purple Heart Veterans Foundation / LJWorld.com

  Another red flag for Styron was the creation of a second nonprofit that “tugs at the heart strings.” Support the troops? Help kids with cancer? Who wouldn’t want to help out, she said. Styron cited previous cases across the country where individuals have created multiple nonprofits as way to funnel donation money to themselves. Charities, charitable giving, advice for donors

• Cadillacs for Kids | Youth Today

  “People assume that states are monitoring charities, and think, ‘Certainly, a state wouldn’t let them go on doing it if they’re bad,’ ” says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy. “People think there’s this infrastructure in place, when it really isn’t.”“Few, if any, states have the resources or infrastructure in place to analyze all of the financial information a charity provides and act on it accordingly,” says Styron.

• Kiplinger - 7 Ways to Check Out a Charity

  Ending one year in negative territory doesn’t necessarily mean the organization is going under, says Laurie Styron. But if the organization comes up short for several years in a row, she says, “that’s an indication it could be winding down. Your contribution could be used to pay legal fees or creditors rather than the programs you are intending to support.”

• Our View: Don't judge a book | Craig Daily Press

  "Charity finance can be confusing, and the reporting rules and laws governing it leave a lot to be desired," said Laurie Styron, an analyst.

• Fox Memphis - Court records detail Kelleys' financial troubles - FOX13 News, WHBQ FOX 13

  We asked CharityWatch to review the documents, and here is what analyst Laurie Styron concluded: "Based on the very limited information in the charity's 2007 tax form, it is not clear that the Kelleys were doing anything illegal. What is clear is that none of the money raised was spent on cancer research grants. The charity did not report that any of the travel, meals, or other expenses were related to granting wishes to terminally ill adult cancer patients, as was its mission. With only three people on the charity's board, two of them husband and wife, there was not enough independent oversight in place to ensure proper or efficient use of funds."

• Fox Tampa Diabetes charity refutes failing grade - FOX 13 News

  “In 2008, the Defeat Diabetes Foundation spent only 17 percent of its cash budget on it's programs, with the remainder being spent on fundraising and other overhead, so it received an 'F' rating for financial efficiency from AIP,” said Laurie Styron, an AIP analyst. “Now why this is of concern to donors is that if you are a donor who is giving money to this charity now, more than likely at least part of your donation will be going to pay some of those past debts versus those programs that you are currently trying to support,” Styron said.

• Giving Guidance — Styron Consulting

  Too often we give to charity reactively rather than proactively. We don't seek out the most financially efficient charity with the absolute best, most effective programs, research its mission and and activities to ensure its goals and values are in ...

• Breast Cancer Fundraising: Where Does All That Money Go? | The Westside Gazette

  Researching different charities and products for a breakdown of how funds are allocated is time consuming and most charities and companies don’t make it accessible, according to Laurie Styron, charity analyst for watchdog group, the American Institute of Philanthropy. “Even if you want to do your homework, the public has no way of confirming,” says Styron. “Information isn’t available and companies don’t want to give it to you.” Also, Styron says to remember that most of the money being raised in these events is for awareness, not research. “Part of what they are trying to accomplish is breast cancer awareness. If you are someone participating in these events and think that everything you raise is somehow going to research, you are wrong.”

• Giving Back | Live Fit and Sore

  “As long as direct mail includes some kind of ‘education,’ then they think they can count that as one of their programs,” says Laurie Styron, an analyst who combs through the finances of charities to separate fundraising from programs.

• New Oklahoma law should make charities more accountable | NewsOK.com

  "Generally speaking, states seem to spend most of their time collecting information and overseeing the collection of the information, but they don't do a whole lot with the information once they get it,” said Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy. In such a case, "How helpful is the collection of it in the first place?”

• Rolling Stone | The Dark Side of Celebrity Charities

  "It's great when a famous person brings attention to a cause," says Laurie Styron. "But when it comes to distributing money, you have to have a charity with expertise. We say donate directly to the charity." Madonna learns that doing good isn't always easy.

• Cleveland Plain Dealer | Man accused of running fake U.S. Navy veterans charity ...

  Laurie Styron, an analyst with CharityWatch of Chicago, which evaluates and rates charities, said fake charities relying on emotional appeals and limited government scrutiny are common. But she said Thompson "took charity scams to another level. . . ."" He appears to be someone who crossed the line fairly early on." She was cheered by Thompson's arrest. "Millions of charitable dollars that could have helped veterans were wasted," she said. "People should take this as a lesson to be more vigilant." U.S. Navy Veterans Association

• Good Morning America, Tim Tebow, RetailMeNot, and Ford Surprise Youth Basketball Charity with Generous Support — Styron Consulting

  I was happy to work with Good Morning America in December 2014 to assist them with screening NewFlex Hoops, aka NewFlex Youth Programs, a New York based charity that focuses on mentoring youth through basketball and other sports programs. This is a small charity primarily run by volunteers that provides important youth programs in an underserved community.

• Donor Beware: Hate Group Non-Profits Often Have Innocuous Sounding Names — Styron Consulting

  The lesson for donors is to never judge a charity based on its name alone. In this way you can avoid making a donation to a charity that is highly inefficient or whose mission and programs are not in line with your values. Just because a charity has the word "veterans," or "children" or "cancer" in its name does not guarantee that even one penny of your donation will actually be used to help veterans, children, or people with cancer.

• Lancaster Online | Who's Who in Donation Bins

  But Styron said other charities consider collection costs a fundraising expense. If Planet Aid did not collect clothing, it would not end up in landfills, she said. Other charities would happily accept it for use in their programs. "There is a ready market for used clothing, and many charities compete for clothing donations, so these items have value," Styron said.

• Lubbock Avalanche Journal | Some 'bad' groups spend more on fundraising than programs

  "It's important to make educated decisions and not emotional ones," said Laurie Styron. "Always take the time to check out the charity before you give," Styron said."Even if they are a legitimate charity, that doesn't tell you if it is a good charity or bad charity," Styron said. Since there are many inefficient charities out there, charity watch groups encourage potential givers to look into how an organization spends their money.

• Proactive charitable giving | Erickson Tribune

  In fact, Laurie Styron, an analyst with the Chicago-based American Institute of Philanthropy, says to be wary of charities that claim to spend 90% or more of donations on programming. That could be an indication that the group is bending the rules to include fundraising which has a small educational component such as programming. That is just semantics, Styron says. There is no way to raise money without spending some. Styron also cautions people to watch out for charities that use high-pressure techniques or try to convince you to donate this year by claiming that you gave last year. Perhaps you have written a check in the past, but some unethical groups could be relying on you not remembering whether you ve donated to compel you to give for the first time. If you re not familiar with the group, check your records and do your homework before you make a donation.

• Huffington Post | American Institute of Philanthropy Gives Charities Failing Grades

  "A lot of donors assume that if a charity files with the IRS then that means the charity is legitimate," said AIP analyst Laurie Styron. "But that doesn't mean someone has rigorously checked out the charity and determined your donation will be spent the way you intend." Most charities are regulated at the state level. There are no minimums on what they must spend on programs nor legal limits on how much they may spend to raise money.But some groups that claim to spend a hefty chunk on "programs" may use a different definition than donors. Those pre-printed address labels and note cards that regularly come in the mail to play on your guilt to send back a check? If the fundraising pitch contains a reminder to get a breast exam or gives a statistic about homeless veterans, the group could call that part of its "educational program," Styron noted. "Most donors would be shocked if they knew that the same charity telling you we spend 90 percent on programs was really using most of your money just to send more direct mail to you," she said.

• NBC New York | Espada's Nonprofit Clunkers Raise Eyebrows

  "An employee and their relatives should not use a charity's resources for personal gain or to offset personal expenses," said Laurie Styron, an analyst.

• New York Post | Questionable charities in with the bin crowd

  “If you really want your clothing to do something charitable, sell them yourself or donate them to a highly efficient charity whose values are in line with your own,” said analyst Laurie Styron.

• SEIU faces allegations it spent nothing on the charity it created - Environment - DailyTidings.com - Ashland, OR

  Laurie Styron, vice president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, said the nonprofit should be more forthcoming. "Charities have an ethical obligation to be transparent," she said.

• 10 Tips for Choosing a Charity - today > news - TODAY.com

  Even if the charity is a good one, you might feel cheated if you later find out that most of your gift went to pay the people who called you up and asked for money, or to pay the salaries of the group's top officers. In general, efficient groups will spend at least 65 percent of their funds on the causes they support, says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the Chicago-based American Institute of Philanthropy, which rates charities for donors.

• Integrated Healthcare Strategies | Justifying Executive Pay at Non-Profit Healthcare Organizations

  The high salaries may not jibe with most peoples' perception of a nonprofit, said Laurie Styron, an analyst with CharityWatch, a Chicago-based nonprofit charity watchdog and information service formerly known as the American Institute of Philanthropy, but they're often necessary for the nonprofits to perform their services. "That's not to say there aren't people who get excessive compensation (from nonprofits)," Styron said. "There definitely are. ... "Nonprofits have to compete with the private sector for employees, so there's no absolute dollar figure you can point to and say, 'Oh, that's too much to pay.' You have to consider all the contexts involved. The amount of money a nonprofit pays someone may seem high, but maybe that's what they need to pay to attract someone who can do the job effectively."

• Laurie Styron - Chicago, Illinois, CharityWatch , Northeastern

  Laurie Styron was appointed Executive Director of CharityWatch in 2020 after more than sixteen years of commitment to the organization.

• Neil Young Has a Cow | Media | Chicago Reader

  But Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy in Chicago, tells me the Tribune "missed the whole point" of the concert. She says the purpose of such extravaganzas--not just the concert but any other high-profile charity event, including the familiar black-tie auction and ball--is to raise visibility and drum up donations. These events are expensive, she explains, and on a balance sheet often not particularly profitable. But she says that's not how to judge them. Referring to the 2003 Farm Aid tax return George had cited in his article, she wrote him an e-mail saying he "completely ignored the $747,880 which was raised [in donations] above and beyond the retail value of the ticket price, which is reported as Contributions." She went on, "The whole point of a charity throwing such an event is the opportunity for them to raise Contributions."

• Feed the Pig: Financial Literacy for All from the AICPA — Styron Consulting

  In recent years the AICPA has expanded its knowledge base to include tips and advice on financial management for the general public. Its web site, Feed the Pig, offers a wide range of general advice to help get people started on a good financial path. Intuitive apps will walk you through the basics of home buying, retirement savings, education planning, and more.

• NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams - Giving in Haiti

  Ms. LAURIE STYRON (American Institute of Philanthropy): "Never give to charity based on emotion or give to a charity that you're not familiar with. There are just too many scams and frauds." NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. VIDEO

• The Sacramento Bee | sacbee.com

  "It will be interesting to see if and by how much their revenue goes down in future years as a result of this," said Laurie Styron, an analyst with CharityWatch. "They put themselves in a difficult position and have alienated people on both sides of the abortion issue." KOMEN, cancer charity, charitable giving, donating to charities

• Fox Tampa | Charity gets 'F' for the way it raises funds - FOX 13 News

  “If this charity promised you a couple years ago that it was going to wean itself away from its reliance on professional fundraisers, it certainly hasn't kept its promise,” said Laurie Styron, speaking on behalf of the charity watchdog group which is based in Chicago. “Certainly if a group is only spending 6 percent of it's total expenses in 2007 and 2008 on its programs, you do have to question if the person running the group is really earning their keep,” said Styron who reviewed Children’s Charity Funds latest tax returns from 2008.

• VIDEO | 10 News Investigators: Veterans Support Organization (VSO) not helping many veterans | wtsp.com

  VIDEO: "The charity is reporting zero fundraising expenses," noted the AIP's Laurie Styron. "The charity is claiming that expenses like $151,300 in 'solicitation location fees,' $1,747,010 in 'solicitor pay and payroll taxes,' and $84,785 in 'solicitors travel' expenses are somehow related to its programs. Veterans Support Organization, charitable giving

• Sun Sentinel

  "As long as direct mail includes some kind of 'education,' then they think they can count that as one of their programs," said Laurie Styron, an analyst at the American Institute of Philanthropy. Styron combs through the finances of charities to separate fundraising from programs.

• Safe Volunteerism and Charity Online - Norton.com

  Then, says Laurie Styron, an analyst with the American Institute of Philanthropy, a watchdog group, take these steps to better know your charity: 1. Research.

• Charitable Giving: How Is Your Money Being Spent?

  If you determine that a charity you donated money to has made poor use of financial contributions, do you have any recourse? It’s not likely you will get your money back. "Charities are rarely under any legal obligation to return your donation to you in the event you later become dissatisfied with your giving decision," says Styron.

• New Requirements for Non-Profit Reporting of Net Assets — Styron Consulting

  The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has proposed changes to how charities must report their net assets and is accepting public comment until August 20, 2015. The changes are intended to improve the usefulness of financial statements for both internal and external stakeholders while reducing the complexities and costs shouldered by charities required to produce financial data about their operations.

• Controversy Surrounds Planet Aid Organization’s Collection Boxes | Pittsburgh News

  “They are really playing some accounting tricks here because once you reallocate all their clothing collection costs back into fundraising – where it really belongs – they actually spend a very low percentage of their budget each year on their programs,” Laurie Styron, of Charity Watch, said.

• Mike Ditka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  Ultimately, however, in December 2007, Ditka folded his "Hall of Fame Assistance Trust Fund" charity amidst revelations that, "in 2005, the group gave out more money to pay celebrities to play golf than the group in its entire three years of operation gave out to injured players", according to Laurie Styron of the American Institute of Philanthropy.

• San Francisco Weekly – September 28, 2011 : Gross Profit

  "We can come up with theoretical ways of how the system can be changed, but I don't know in practice if it will ever happen. I suspect that it won't," she said. Styron, from the American Institute of Philanthropy, isn't so sure a more accurate answer will get the results the charity wants. Donors, she said, want to know their money is going to, as she put it, help the dolphins - not pay overhead costs. "Unfortunately, if you said to a donor, point-blank, 'Hey, we're raising money for this important cause. Please give me $50. By the way, none of it will actually go to the charity, because I need to be paid my hourly rate to be soliciting you.' ... Donors aren't going to be enthusiastic to donate under those circumstances," she said.

• CNN Money | Doomsday church: Still open for business

  "At first glance, it looks like they have a lot of assets, but they actually don't have a lot of cash that they're stockpiling," said Laurie Styron." If people donating to this group think the world is ending on Saturday, then I'm not sure that they care," Styron said.

• Giving With Purpose & A Pickled Pod – Jill Blakeway
• Students arm selves for charity with silicone bracelets - KentWired.com

  To order bracelets, Laurie Styron, analyst at the American Institute of Philanthropy, a watch-dog group that monitors charity’s spending, recommends contacting national charities directly. “If you’re going to buy a bracelet online,” Styron said, “the one question to ask is how much of my money is going to go to the cause? Any group that can’t answer that question, I would be wary of.”

• Not All Charities are Created Equal

  Experts agree that although giving during the holiday season is a significant step in the right direction, you may want to think about giving as a long-term commitment. “It’s great that people are in the spirit to give during the holidays, but don’t forget to keep giving throughout the year,” Styron stresses. “Because the homeless aren’t just cold and hungry in December.” Charities, charitable giving, advice for donors

• Houston Chronicle | Research Charities Before You Give, Experts Say

  "Don't be 'guilted into giving,' " Styron said. "If they pressure you, let the person know that you never give 'on-the-spot' without having time to research the charity. A charity's ability to show you sad photos or rattle off statistics doesn't really tell you anything about how efficiently it is operating, or if any of your donation will really be used for charitable causes."

• Salt Lake Tribune | NBA player charities often a losing game - Utah Local News

  President Bush, in fact, saluted Mutombo in his 2007 State of the Union address as an example of ''heroic kindness, courage and self-sacrifice'' for helping to build the first new hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo's homeland, in 40 years. But even as celebrity involvement can bring notoriety and cash to a cause that might otherwise languish, it also can give donors a false sense of security, said Laurie Styron of the American Institute of Philanthropy. Superstars whose charities have stumbled include Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan, whose foundation closed in 1996 after criticism over administrative costs and the hiring of his sister as executive director. L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant has dissolved at least one charity as well.