Quote:
Originally Posted by AR_Six
Invisible children has been condemned time and time again. As a registered not-for-profit, its finances are public. Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32% went to direct services (page 6), with much of the rest going to staff salaries, travel and transport, and film production. This is far from ideal, and charity navigator rates their accountability 2/4 stars because they haven’t had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that. |
They are actually rated 3/4 stars. And 4/4 on financial metrics, but 2/4 on accountability because they don't have independant board voting members and a flag on the audited financials, which ARE audited by the firm Considine & Considine (flag likely because this firm is not a major).
Last year they raised $13.7 MM and spent $8.9 MM of which 80.5% was directed to program expenses, 16% in administration, and the remainder on fundraising expenses. The remaining assets are held on the books.
The program expenses include, yes, money spent raising awareness. And yes, only 31% of expenses went to "direct services", while last year it was 41%. But this charity is not about just donating money to those in need. Additionally there are program related "compensation costs" (12% of spending), which are seperate from general and management compensation costs. These are likely for hiring locals for the "mobile response teams". Look at their people page, there are a good number of locals, who need salaries.
As this charity pays themselves a salary, like Greenpeace, they are not the most efficient allocator of capital. But nor are they looking to be. Their 5th (of 5) mandated plans states their goal is to promote the arrest of Joseph Kony and top LRA leadership.
You may not agree with the method, the message, or the action; however, I hardly think they deserve the negative backlash based on out of date data. The executives take salaries of ~$85,000/yr.
dyodd
(I am not a supporter. Just learned of this today)
http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...ry&orgid=12429
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/financials
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/protectionplan