BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE STANDARDS
Make-A-Wish® is a proud member of BBB Wise Giving Alliance and must comply with all standards. Cause marketing programs that benefit Make-A-Wishmust comply with the BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability, as well as applicable state laws. This includes providing full and transparent disclosure to the consumer regarding the benefit the charity receives from a promotion.
What the BBB Wise Giving Alliance National Charity Seal Means to Charities and Donors
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance national charity carries a lot of meaning for both donors and charities.
For donors, the appearance of the seal in a charity’s mailings, on its website, in newspaper and magazine advertisements or elsewhere is a clear and concise sign that the charity meets the Alliance’s Standards for Charity Accountability.
Donors may not know, though, that for charities, putting the seal in their materials is the culmination of a demanding process. Before national charities can even apply to use the seal, they must undergo evaluation by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, the nation’s most experienced charity evaluator. And the evaluation process is anything but superficial. It involves rigorous scrutiny of a charity’s governance, effectiveness, finances and solicitations and informational materials. The standards go beyond what government regulators require.
Only organizations that come through an Alliance review with a “meets standards” conclusion are eligible to participate in the seal program. Not all will decide to do so. Participation is entirely voluntary and involves a licensing agreement and fee. But more and more charities report that the seal gives them an efficient way of demonstrating their commitment to accountability and ethical practices, the values that donors are looking for. This commitment is all the more credible when it is verified by the familiar and respected BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
“National charities that display the BBB Wise Giving Alliance seal can do so with pride,” says Art Taylor, President and CEO of the Alliance. “Not only are they attesting to their organizations’ adherence to sound standards, they are helping to increase donor confidence and strengthen public trust in giving.”
How the BBB Applies to Cause Marketing Programs
The following information must be disclosed at POS to comply with BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability:
· The actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., $1.00 will be contributed to ABC charity for every XYZ company product sold),
· Duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October),
· Any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $250,000).
Here are some actual campaign examples for reference:
· XYZ Store will donate $.50 from every reusable tote bag sold between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 to Make-A-Wish®, up to $250,000. For more information about Make-A-Wish visit wish.org.
· Between 4/24 – 7/2/2014, XYZ Restaurant will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish from each select menu item, $.50 per lemonade and 100% of each Star Card sale, with a minimum guarantee of $150,000 from all in-restaurant promotions, and donate $1 to Make-A-Wish for each new Facebook Like, up to $25,000. For more information, visit wish.org.
· If more than one charity is benefitting from a campaign, the following would be an example of how BBB language is used:
o XYZ Car Company will donate $250 for every new vehicle sold or leased from November 21, 2014 through January 2, 2015 to one of four participating charities designated by the purchaser, up to $10,000,000. Purchasers must make their charity designations by January 31, 2014. See XYZ.com for details. A minimum donation of $250,000 will be made to each participating charity. All donations made by XYZ Car Company.
For more information about the BBB, please visit http://www.bbb.org/us/standards-for-charity-accountability/