According to the Foundation Center, a 501 nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City, there are more than 2100 charities and nonprofits in Washington DC [alone] largely due to access to the federal government and advocacy. DC is only 10 miles by 10 miles so there is almost a charity or foundation on every corner within a 5 mile radius.
These 10 charities are not living up to their missions. Each spends more than 50% of its budget paying for-profit fundraising professionals to solicit your hard-earned money. They are ranked by the percentage of their total functional expenses spent on professional fundraising fees. As a result, very little of the charity’s spending is directed towards its programs and services.
Rank | Charity | Program Expenses | Professional Fundraising Fees |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Cancer Survivors’ Fund | 7.1% | 89.9% |
2 | Firefighters Charitable Foundation | 7.0% | 87.6% |
3 | The Committee for Missing Children | 12.1% | 84.9% |
4 | California Police Youth Charities | 9.2% | 82.3% |
5 | National Vietnam Veterans Foundation | 11.5% | 81.6% |
6 | Children’s Charity Fund, Inc. | 6.1% | 79.3% |
7 | Wishing Well Foundation USA | 12.4% | 78.7% |
8 | Law Enforcement Education Program | 3.3% | 76.4% |
9 | National Police Defense Foundation | 17.7% | 75.4% |
10 | Children’s Leukemia Research Association | 31.7% | 65.3% |
(Source: Charity Navigator)