The Tri-State Better Business Bureau is receiving calls from prospective donors regarding Officer Down Foundation. There are four BBBs with reports regarding this organization Winston-Salem, NC, Peoria, IL, Indianapolis, IN, and Nashville, TN.
Tom Bozikis, Vice President of Bureau Operations, said that if the organization is using a professional fundraising company, then the fundraiser needs to be registered with the attorneys general’s offices in which they raise funds.
“Prospective donors can ask the telemarketer the name of the company for which they work and they can call their attorney general’s office to insure they are registered,” Bozikis said.
The BBB offers the following general information regarding these types of appeals:
Police & Firefighters Organizations
In reviewing appeals from police & firefighter organizations, potential donors should be aware of the following points. In addition, donors should consider the nature of the organization’s programs as they can vary quite widely from one group to the next.
1. The police or firefighter organization may not be a charity. There are many different types of police & firefighter organizations. Some are tax exempt as charities. Others may be tax exempt as labor organizations, fraternal groups, benevolent associations or something else. As a result, your gift may not be deductible as a charitable gift.
2. Local officers may not be involved. Don’t make assumptions based on the name alone. The words “police” and “firefighter” in the organization’s name does not necessarily mean that local members of the force or any officers for that matter, are involved in any way.
3. Don’t believe promises of special treatment. Don’t believe promises that donations will result in special treatment by police or firefighters. If such suggestions or threats are used, contact your state’s attorney general and the BBB. Also, if you believe that a police group sticker in your car window will help if you are stopped for a traffic ticket, think again.
4. Don’t hesitate to ask for written materials. Don’t hesitate to ask the organization for written information on its programs and finances.
5. How much of your gift will be spent on fund raising ? In some cases, fund raising expenses for police and firefighter organizations can be as high as 80% or more of the funds collected. Find out how much goes to the group.
6. If asked to buy tickets to send needy kids to an entertainment event, ask how the children are chosen, how many will attend, how the tickets will be distributed and if transportation has been arranged for the children.
7. If your business is asked to buy advertising space in a police or firefighter journal, ask how many copies of the publication will be distributed, who will receive them, if there is a cover price, the estimated publication date, and ask to see a copy of the draft and published version of the ad.
The Officer Down Foundation is a great service for police officers and firefighters, and we applaud the Tri-State Better Business Bureau for helping to raise awareness about this charity. It does a disservice when other groups only tangentially related to fire or police work try to piggyback on the charitable works of foundations and are not nearly as honest in their work. We too encourage consumers to research all charities and not to succumb to cold calling pressure tactics. Thank you BBB for your work in this area.
Thanks for your feedback, Robert!