Charity Watchdogs

These are good websites to use when reviewing the effectiveness of a charity.

www.charitywatch.org
The American Institute for Philanthropy evaluates 500 charities and their evaluation includes the cost of fundraising and the percentage of funds that support programs.

www.charitynavigator.org
The group analyzes the finances of over 5000 charities and awards between 1 and 4 star rating based on the cost of fundraising and the cost of administration.

www.bbb.org/us/Wise-Giving
Standards for accountability assist donors to make informed decisions.  Standards include willingness to disclose information to the public, governance of the organization, way money is spent and truthfulness in representation.

www.greatnonprofits.org
This is a social networking site where donors and volunteers can comment on their experience with a charity.  They have over 12,000 charities in their system.

www.guidestar.org
This is an information-based service that collects and posts information about nonprofits.