High Performing Charity

by Kimberly Goodrich, CFRE, Senior Director of Development

In our continued quest to show our donors the impact of their support, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) has been working with the various charity watchdogs to ensure that we are doing our best to communicate that we are worthy of your donations, and that we are working to meet our mission. The most prominent charity watchdogs (GuideStar and Charity Navigator) are working to update and enhance their rating systems to focus less on ratios and more on the impact an organization is having on those who need its services.

America’s Charities is also recognizing those charities that meet the top standards of the different watchdog agencies through their High Performing Charities Initiative. This new program recognizes those nonprofits that have reached the highest levels of accountability, transparency and impact as set by the leading charity rating agencies.

MSAA is proud to announce that we have been recognized as a High Performing Charity by America’s Charities. To earn this distinction we have reached the highest levels as determined by each of the charity rating agencies.

1. We are a member of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance having met all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability in the areas of governance and oversight, measuring effectiveness, finances, fundraising, and informational materials.

2. We have achieved Gold level status with GuideStar for our commitment to transparency. This site also includes our current impact goals and progress toward those goals.

3. Charity Navigator has awarded MSAA with a three star rating based on their assessment of how efficiently we use resources to fulfill our mission, how well we have sustained our programs and services over time and our level of commitment to being accountable and transparent.

Last year your support led directly to helping more people improve their lives. Our toll-free Helpline assisted 6% more people compared to the previous year. We provided ongoing MRI assistance to 9% more people, and diagnostic MRI assistance to 70% more people than the year before. Thank you for being a part of the conversation over the last year and helping us to refine how we communicate our impact. And thank you for trusting MSAA to turn your support into services that directly improve the lives of those living with MS.

Support from our donors is always appreciated! If you would like to donate to MSAA, you may do so here.

 *About Kimberly

I am the Senior Director of Development at MSAA and have worked in the nonprofit arena for over 15 years. I love reading, running, theatre and the Green Bay Packers. I volunteer with the Disabled American Veterans teaching outdoor sports like skiing and kayaking to injured veterans and find that I receive much more from them than I am able to give.

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The Overhead Solution

by Kimberly Goodrich, CFRE, Senior Director of Development

Several of my articles and posts have focused on the Overhead Myth – the commonly held belief that financial ratios are the sole indicator of a nonprofit’s performance. Over the last year, it has become widely agreed that stars and ratios do not clearly communicate a nonprofit’s impact or show that we are meeting our mission.

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America has joined BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator and GuideStar in the pledge to end the Overhead Myth and move toward an Overhead Solution. Instead of focusing on the percentage of charity’s expenses that go to administrative and fundraising costs-commonly referred to as “overhead”-we need to focus on what really matters: trustworthiness and performance.

Last year, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, GuideStar, and Charity Navigator, published an open letter to the donors of America denouncing the use of the “overhead ratio” as the sole indicator of nonprofit performance. The letter, signed by all three organizations’ CEOs, marked the beginning of a campaign to correct the common misconception about the importance of a low overhead ratio.

A new open letter, published in October on www.overheadmyth.com, educates and encourages nonprofits to work towards an Overhead Solution. Specifically, the letter asks nonprofits to do three things, “(1) demonstrate ethical practice and share data about performance (2) manage towards results and understand your true costs and (3) help educate funders on the real costs of results.” The letter goes on to provide resources to help nonprofits in this critical endeavor to measure and report on what matters most.

Join us in spreading the word about this important topic. Nonprofits and their supporters are encouraged to learn from and share the latest Overhead Myth letter. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. As always, please contact us if you have any questions at all.

Thank you for your support in this effort.

*About Kimberly

I am the Senior Director of Development at MSAA and have worked in the nonprofit arena for over 15 years. I love reading, running, theatre and the Green Bay Packers. I volunteer with the Disabled American Veterans teaching outdoor sports like skiing and kayaking to injured veterans and find that I receive much more from them than I am able to give.

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