JACKSON, Miss. – You can make sure the charities you donate too are getting the most bang out of your buck by checking on the Secretary of State’s website. From there you will be able to tell which charities spend more than 35% of their funds on fundraising and management and which ones funnel more money into their causes.
The Better Business Bureau recommends at least 65% percent of total expenses of a charitable organization should be spent on program activities directly related to the organization’s purpose.
“Mississippians are some of the most generous givers in the nation,” said Secretary of State Delbert Hoesmann. “Over 1,300 Mississippi charities raised over 1$ Billion in our State last year. That number does not include contributions to religious institutions.
Remember, charities must be registered with the Secretary of State’s Office to solicit funds in Mississippi. You can find an online report that outlines the financial information of charities registered with the state at http://www.sos.ms.gov/Charities/Pages/default.aspx as well as the percentage of charitable funds actually spend by the charity.
