Charity & admin fees

[roscopiko]

I've had a quite google around but this seems tricky to find or maybe I'm thinking too simplistically and it doesn't or can't exist.

Is there a website or report anywhere which lists the amount or % that they deduct for admin/running costs?

[TightEnd]

Have you tried the charity commission?

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/


the guidance section?

[The_nun]

Doesn't it depend on which charity. From past experience it varies massively.

[TightEnd]

Doesn't it depend on which charity. From past experience it varies massively.

er, yes

the point being that the charities commission can guide and advise on what is permissible

[The_nun]

derrr me .

[roscopiko]

Doesn't it depend on which charity. From past experience it varies massively.

yes thats what i mean, is there a quick point of reference anywhere that indicates whether a charity takes a larger than standard admin fee from donations or would you have to go to each individually and ask the question?

Basically is there a quick way of determining between a good/bad charity (if there can be such a thing) .

[The_nun]

There must be somewhere on the search engine on Tightys link that says what each individual charity deducts I guess. I wasn't aware of this when I got involved in one a few years back. I stupidly thought a charity was a charity run by folk giving up their free times so to speak. Hence the derrr me but learnt a lot since then.

[Jon MW]

The charity commission has lots of data, they'll have the information (possibly unless it's a very very small charity) - don't know how easy it is to get hold of through them though, it's been a while since I looked on their site.


EDIT: just followed Tighty's link, that looks very different to a few years ago, but that is who will have the data.

[kinboshi]

The big charities will almost certainly post details on their websites of their accounts and a breakdown of the money they've received from donations and how it was spent.

[thetank]

I think it's a good thing that such a site doesn't exist, and that people don't make their donation descions based on those numbers.

Some admin bux increase the value that the chairty bux do. (For example, an infrastructure to deliver aid in Africa rather than sending a cheque to whoever is in charge of that region that week.)

Working to metrics too much would mean they'd be less keen to spend money that would actually do more good, just coz it wouldn't show up on paper as charity bux.

Let's buy 1,000,000 loafs of bread for our soup kitchens from ASDA for £500,000 rather than bake our own for £200,000 (coz £150,000 of that £200,000 would show up as admin bux and we'd slip down the league table)

[Pawprint]

The only way to really see this is to get hold of a set of accounts for the charity, through the Charities Commission.

It's very difficult to be able to grade a charity as good/bad based on these numbers though.

Every charity will incur running costs to enable them to generate funds.


When I'm looking at charity accounts, there are a few things I look for (although, as has been mentioned before, this is not always that straightforward)


- Revenue is split between voluntary income (including fundraising) and income generated through charitable activities.  The revenue from fundraising and charitable activities should be enough to cover the admin/running costs of the charity.  This means that they are generating enough funds themselves to ensure that all 'voluntary donations' are then put to good use rather than covering admin/running expenses.

- I will always look at the salary breakdown.  Some chief exececutives  can be picking up six figure salaries.  Assuming that these numbers are in proportion with the rest of the accounts will also give you a feel for how the charity is run.


Charity accounts are very good at hiding costs away though, and a number of the bigger charities will manipulate the headline numbers to tell the particular story that they want.


If you are after some info on one particular charity, drop me a message, as I know of someone who will be able to give you a quick opinion on the validity and efficiency of the charity.

[roscopiko]

I think it's a good thing that such a site doesn't exist, and that people don't make their donation descions based on those numbers.

Some admin bux increase the value that the chairty bux do. (For example, an infrastructure to deliver aid in Africa rather than sending a cheque to whoever is in charge of that region that week.)

Working to metrics too much would mean they'd be less keen to spend money that would actually do more good, just coz it wouldn't show up on paper as charity bux.

Let's buy 1,000,000 loafs of bread for our soup kitchens from ASDA for £500,000 rather than bake our own for £200,000 (coz £150,000 of that £200,000 would show up as admin bux and we'd slip down the league table)

Fair points, like I said I wasn't sure if it is possible to do it and i'm probably being to simplistic in my thinking, Leigh's suggestion must be the best way forward then.

[The Camel]

Anyone know what is happening with Poker 4 Charity?

Are they still active?

[AlrightJack]

Anyone know what is happening with Poker 4 Charity?

Are they still active?

Had you down as fav to be the first to mention P4C in this thread.

[The Camel]

Anyone know what is happening with Poker 4 Charity?

Are they still active?

Had you down as fav to be the first to mention P4C in this thread.

Another winning favourite!