Charities Review Council Hosts Town Hall Meetings to Solicit Feedback on Preliminary...

Charities Review Council Hosts Town Hall Meetings to Solicit Feedback on
Preliminary New Accountability Standards
Increased regulatory requirements, new technology, changes in the nonprofit
economy and demographic shifts support expanded Accountability Standards to
strengthen nonprofits and assist donors

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The Charities Review Council is
hosting a series of Town Hall meetings across Minnesota and North Dakota to
solicit feedback on proposed changes to its Accountability Standards used to
review charities.

People who are not able to attend Town Hall meetings are encouraged to provide
feedback on the Standards via the Council's Web site at www.smartgivers.org.
Notable additions to the Accountability Standards include greater flexibility
in the recommended mix between program, administration and fundraising
expenses, as well as attention to donor privacy and security.

The Town Hall meetings, hosted by the Council and local sponsors in each
location, are part of an open public comment period in which donors,
nonprofits and the general public are invited to provide feedback on the
preliminary new Accountability Standards before the proposed changes are
finalized later this year. Admission is free and open to the public, but
advance registration is required.

The purpose of the Accountability Standards is to strengthen nonprofits'
commitment to accountable practices while still providing meaningful
information to the donating public in order to advance more effective
philanthropy. The revisions are intended to bring both nonprofits and
informed donors together on a common platform of understanding in terms of how
they can contribute to improving communities.

"The current Accountability Standards were introduced in 1998 and the world
has changed over the last decade -- it was time to update them," said Rich
Cowles, executive director of the Charities Review Council. "The new
Accountability Standards include greater flexibility in the recommended mix
between program, administration and fundraising expenses to help nonprofits
build a solid foundation for their long-term viability; but the standards also
pay attention to areas like donor privacy and security, executive compensation
and board meeting requirements."

One of the biggest changes to the Accountability Standards increases the
allowable percentage of funds nonprofits spend on administration and
fundraising. The current Standards require that 70 percent of a nonprofit's
expenses be spent on programs. The Council now recommends that nonprofits
explain to donors why their program expense ratios are in the 60 to 70 percent
or 90 to 100 percent ranges to allow nonprofits to build a solid foundation
for long-term success.

For more information on the Town Hall meetings, to register to attend, read a
preliminary draft of the revised Accountability Standards or provide online
feedback please visit:
http://www.smartgivers.org/AccountabilityStandards2009.html

Town Hall Forums

City Date & Time Address Local Sponsor
---- ----------- ------- -------------
Mankato August 12, 2009 Snell Motors Greater
3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Community Mankato Area
Room 1900 United Way,
Madison Ave. Minnesota
Mankato, MN 56001 Council of
Nonprofits

Rochester August 18, 2009 Mayo Clinic, Siebens Rochester Area
Accountability Building Foundation,
Wizard Nygaard Lecture Hall, Mayo Clinic,
Training* Room 4-05 United Way of
1:30 - 2:30 p.m. 100 2nd Ave. SW Olmstead
Rochester, MN 55905 County

Town Hall * The Accountability
Meeting* Wizard training
3:00 - 4:30 p.m. and Town Hall
meeting are being
held at the same location.

Fargo August 27, 2009 Bremer Bank - Training Room Bremer Bank
11:30 - 1 p.m. 1444 45th Street S
Fargo, ND 58102

St. September 15, St. Cloud Public Library United Way of
Cloud 2009 1300 W. St. Germain St Central MN,
10:00 - 11:30 a.m. St. Cloud, MN 56301 Central MN
Community
Foundation,
Bremer Bank

East September 10, Tartan Park - 3M, Hugh J.
Metro 2009 Golf View Room Andersen
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. 11455 20th St N. Foundation
Lake Elmo, MN

Duluth September 17, Ordean Building Duluth
2009 Conference Room B Superior Area
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. 424 W Superior St. Community
Duluth, MN 55802 Foundation,
United Way of
Greater
Duluth

About the Charities Review Council
The Charities Review Council's mission is to mobilize informed donors and
accountable nonprofits to advance the greater good. The Council is an
independent resource for people who support charities with financial
donations. It is dedicated to empowering donors in making informed and
thoughtful giving decisions, so that they can be more effective in helping
charities advance their important community work. No other state has a
similar independent resource for donors. For more information, visit the
Charities Review Council online at www.smartgivers.org or call (651) 224-7030
or toll-free 1-800-733-GIVE.

SOURCE The Charities Review Council

Helen Ng, Charities Review Council, +1-651-224-7030, ext. 11,
hng@smartgivers.org; Sarah Shamla, Tunheim Partners, +1-952-851-7279,
sshamla@tunheim.com