Charity watchdogs evaluate thousands of nonprofit organizations every year. Their ratings influence donors' giving decisions and have an impact on an organization’s brand. Nonprofit executives, especially development directors, should carefully manage their organization’s profiles and pay close attention to their ratings. Check out these slides for ideas on how to gain the upper hand in the watchdog game.

1. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
CHARITY WATCHDOGS: MANAGING
YOUR PROFILE AND RATINGS
Join the webinar online. Go to http://fuze.me/23907019
Enter the meeting number: 23907019
To join from a phone: +1-201-479-4595
Participants will be muted during the presentation to
maintain good sound quality. If you have a comment or
question raise your flag and you will be unmuted.
Thanks and welcome to the webinar!

2. CHARITY
WATCHDOGS
Managing
Your
Organization’s
Profile and
Ratings
BLUE STRIKE

3.  This is a 45-minute webinar to help organizations
manage their profile and ratings with charity
watchdogs groups.
 It has been developed for organizations engaged in
advocacy, civic engagement, policy work, and
public interest law.
 The information and call to action are intended for
fundraising staff and executive directors.
WELCOME
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

4. INSPIRING
SUPPORT FOR
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
BLUE
STRIKE
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

5. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

6. Today, we will cover:
Section 1: Who are the watchdogs?
Section 2: Why do they matter?
Section 3: Three steps to improve your ratings.
We will wrap up by 2:00 PM.
AGENDA
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

7. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
CHARITY
WATCHDOGS
Who are they?SECTION 1:

8. The top four:
 Better Business Bureau
Wise Giving Alliance
 Charity Navigator
 CharityWatch (a.k.a
American Institute for
Philanthropy)
 Guidestar
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
WHO ARE THEY?

9. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

10. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

11. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

12. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

13. Guidestar has added new levels of
transparency and seals. More changes
are coming.
Charity Navigator has begun adding
impact measures to its profiles.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
CHANGE IS AFOOT

14. CHARITY
WATCHDOGS
Why are they
important?
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
SECTION 2:

15. Donors, foundations,
corporations, and the
media consult these
sites for objective
information about
your organization.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

16. About one-quarter of
people do some kind
of research before
deciding to give.
Association of Fundraising
Professionals
Hope Consulting (2010)
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
DONORS LOOK UP YOUR PROFILE

17. A higher rating has been shown to
translate into higher revenue.
Lower ratings may discourage people
from giving to you.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
DONORS MAKE GIVING DECISIONS
BASED ON RATINGS

18. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
RESEARCH ON RATING IMPACT
Brown, Meer, Williams (2014) found “evidence that subjects'
choice of charity is impacted by third-party evaluations.”
Social Distance and Quality Ratings in Charity Choice
Grant (2010) estimates “that one more star increases
contributions by 3 to 8%. The Response to Third-party
Rating: The Effects on Charitable Giving.
Chhaochhari and Ghosh(2008) found that charities with the
highest ratings received 16 percent more charitable donations
than those with the lowest ratings.

19. You don’t have
time to explain
a bad rating to
everyone.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
THEY AFFECT YOUR BRAND

20. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
THEY IMPACT MORALE
Your staff and volunteers deserve
recognition for the good work they
do.
Your brand should reflect your
commitment to your mission.

21. How to
improve your
ratings
SECTION 3:
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

22. #1: Pay attention to how you spend money and
how you count the money you spend.
#2: Hire an auditor who understands the ins-
and-outs of the charity watchdog game.
#3: Educate your board and staff about the
importance of ratings and profiles.
CALL TO ACTION
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

23. Pay attention to how you
spend money and how you
count the money you spend.
ACTION #1: SPENDING
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

24. Take a hard
look at your
spending.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
REVIEW SPENDING

25. Check out
Blue Strike
tips for
reducing
overhead.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
REDUCE OVERHEAD

26. Make sure you’re not
putting program expenses
into administration and
fundraising.
ALLOCATE CAREFULLY
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

27. Revenue
Contribu
tions
65%
Foundati
ons 15%
Planned
Gifts
13%
Other
7%
Expenses
Program
84%
Fundraisi
ng
8%
Administr
ation
8%
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
GOOD LOOKING PIE CHARTS

28. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS

29. Hire an auditor who
understands the ins-and-
outs of the charity watchdog
game.
ACTION #2: AUDITOR
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

30. IRS FORM 990
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

31. WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER OF
MONROE COUNTY
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

32. Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Year end
financials
Audit IRS 990

33. The audit’s
functional
expense
statement
informs your
expense sheet on
the 990.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
IRS 990 PART IX PAGE 10

34. Leave time for
back and
forth with the
auditor.
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
REVIEW DRAFT OF AUDIT

35. Educate your
board and staff
about the
importance of
ratings and
profiles
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
ACTION #3: BOARD & STAFF

36.  Put it on board agenda.
 Explain the basics.
 Show comparisons.
ACTION #3: BOARD & STAFF
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

37. Establish audit committee
Pass needed policies
Pay attention to executive
compensation
Review 990
BOARD GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

38. Accountability
and
Transparency
Measures
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs:
Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating -
June 24, 2014
CHARITY
NAVIGATOR

39. Accountability
and
Transparency
Measures
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs:
Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating -
June 24, 2014
CHARITY
NAVIGATOR

40. BOARD SOURCE TEMPLATES
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

41. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU FORM
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

42. Assign a staff person to
update profiles and monitor
changes to the ratings
systems.
ASSIGN STAFF
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

43. Deal directly with the staff
at the watchdogs. They are
sensitive to criticism.
TAME THE WATCHDOGS
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

44. Make sure your materials
accurately describe your
accomplishments and
activities.
MATERIALS MATCH YOUR WORK
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

45. #1: Pay attention to how you spend money and
how you count the money you spend.
#2: Hire an auditor who understands the ins-
and-outs of the charity watchdog game.
#3: Educate your board and staff about the
importance of ratings and profiles.
YOUR CALL TO ACTION
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

46. Resources
Research
Articles
ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014

47. Internal Revenue Service
http://www.irs.gov/instructions/i990/ar03.html
Venable Law
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTrOm1a4P2U
e00TA3hCl3xQ
Board Source
https://www.boardsource.org/eweb/dynamicpage.as
px?webcode=BDSOnlineStoreLanding
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
RESOURCES FOR IMPROVING YOUR
RATING

48. Social Distance and Quality Ratings in Charity
Choice, Alexander Brown May 2014
http://econweb.tamu.edu/jmeer/Brown_Meer_Willi
ams_Charity_Choice.pdf
The Response to Third-Party Ratings, Laura Ellyn
Grant 2010
http://www2.bren.ucsb.edu/~lgrant/grant_jmp_F20
10.pdf
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
RESEARCH

49. Charity Rater Part I: Charting the Bad and the Bad
http://www.blueavocado.org/content/charity-raters-
part-i-charting-bad-and-bad
Charity Rater Part II: Managing Your Ratings by Blue
Avocado
http://www.blueavocado.org/content/charity-raters-
part-ii-managing-your-rating
Stanford Social Innovation Review
http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_ratings_ga
me
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
MORE ABOUT THE WATCHDOGS

50. INSPIRING
SUPPORT FOR
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
BLUE
STRIKE

51. Five Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Donors
Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 01:15 PM
Benchmark Studies: Which ones are most
relevant for advocacy groups?
Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at 01:15 PM
Year End Boot Camp
Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at 01:15 PM
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
UPCOMING
BLUE STRIKE WEBINARS

52. Raising Money for Advocacy: How it's
different
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at 01:15 PM
Board Engagement for Year End
Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at 01:15 PM
It's Almost New Year's Eve: Do you know
where your donors are?
Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at 01:15 PM
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
MORE UPCOMING
BLUE STRIKE WEBINARS

53. Thank you for
participating today!
From Mary Dillon Kerwin
President of Blue Strike
Check out our other slide shows at
http://www.bluestrike.org/resources
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
BLUESTRIKE.ORG

54. THANK YOU!
Blue Strike Webinar: Charity Watchdogs: Managing Your Organization's Profile and Rating - June 24, 2014
BLUESTRIKE.ORG