# Better Business Bureau introduces 'Wise Giving Seal' for charity sites

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2003/04/16/better-business-bureau-introduces-039wise-giving-seal039-charity-sites/
- Published: 2003-04-16T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

In the USA, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has announced an independent seal of
approval for charity Web sites.
Charities that meet the BBB’s standards can pay 
up to $15,000 to display an official seal on their Web site.

Rick Christ of NPadvisors.com reports that the new seal has led to criticism of 
the BBB from some non-profits. “Some of the “standards” are almost pathetically 
easy to meet”, he says, while “others are intrusive to the point of absurdity.” 
Should non-profits pay so much to acquire independent approval?

Nevertheless, some of the standards for certification are worth reviewing, if only
as a guide to good practice. For example, charity Web sites that solicit donations
should include “the organisation’s mission statement, a summary of the past year’s
program service accomplishments; a roster of the officers and members of the board
of directors; and financial information that includes (i) total income in the past
fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative 
categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets, as well 
as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS
Form 990.” Other standards include a clear and detailed privacy statement.

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NPadvisors.com have reproduced the full text of the Wise Giving Alliance’s fundraising
standards, including those relating to the Internet.

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