In Charity We Trust? How allegations of misspending against the Canadian Cancer Society serve as a wake-up call for the North American non- profit sector
Mar 26, 2015
In Charity We Trust?
How allegations of misspending against the Canadian Cancer Society
serve as a wake-up call for the North American non-profit sector
Part I
The Three and a Half Minutes That Tripped the Alarm
The Preamble
• The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) changes its funding formula for cancer research precluding scientists like Dr. Brian Lichty from applying for a renewal of core funding.
• Lichty believes CCS spends too much on the cost of fundraising, and misleads people into thinking that more of their donations go toward research.
• He pitches the story to media to upset donors in the hopes of urging CCS to cancel the changes.
The Marketplace Episode
• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/04/cancer-society-funding.html
The Marketplace Episode
• July 6, 2011: Show suggests that research funds have dropped from 40% to 22% of overall budget while fundraising costs up from 26% to 42%.
• CCS declines on camera interview, but show airs statement from CCS.
• Charity Lawyer Mark Blumberg defends CCS on camera but charity watchdog spokesperson Greg Thomson suggests CCS’ costs are high.
• Final impression: What doesn’t go to fundraising or research is wasted or mismanaged.
CCS’ Response: Step 1
• July 6, 2011: CCS issues news release saying research funds are up 55% over last 10 years.
• CCS suggests money needs to be spent on patient support as the number of new diagnoses is rising.
• CCS admits fundraising costs have risen – partly due to lotteries that give it an extra $36M/year.
• No senior official is quoted or comments publicly.• CCS sends several tweets to repeat key
messages.
CCS’ Response: Step 2
• July 7, 2011 – CCS sends a letter to volunteers, staff and board only, acknowledging the media scrutiny but emphasizing that the changes to its research funding formula were made after an extensive consultative process.
• The letter is silent about the fundraising ratio and the other claims made by the show.
• No one from CCS comments publicly.
External Expert: Mark Blumberg
• July 7, 2011: Independent charity lawyer Mark Blumberg shows that CCS increased funds for research and spent great amounts on other legitimate areas, to provide evidence that donations are not wasted.
• He suggests CCS is transparent (as it provides consolidated & individual tax filings), includes lotteries in its ratios & makes its financial statements public (something not required by law).
• Blumberg is the first to recognize that Marketplace crunched the ratios incorrectly & states CCS’ cost of fundraising is 37% (not 42% as claimed by the show).
CCS’ Response: Step 3
• July 8, 2011 – CCS news release & tweets: Notes that research receives more than any other area; says fundraising ratio is actually 39% with lotteries or 32% without; claims costs are up due to expansion/diversification of fundraisers
• Directs people to Blumberg’s site for his analysis
• No senior staff quoted or comments publicly
CCS’ Response: Step 4
• September 1, 2011- Letter to researchers from Board Chair & President: 2 months after the show, CCS corrects the Marketplace ratio (says 38% went to research not 22% as reported on air)
• It notes that 40,000 new cases since 2000 have driven up costs for other mission areas.
• It acknowledges researchers’ “concern” about changes to funding, noting they are not “trivial”.
• No communication to donors or public.
Factors & Dimensions At Play
• Transparency & Trust• Relationships, Image & Reputation• Reporting & Rankings• Leadership and Visibility• The Halo Effect
Failed Opportunities• CCS makes no attempt to speak with Dr. Lichty.• CCS attempts to block media at the event Lichty entered as
part of a publicity stunt.• CCS chooses not to appear on Marketplace.• CCS takes days or months to correct the show’s errors.• CCS does not assign a senior spokesperson to the issue.• It directs people to Blumberg’s blog rather than owning the
issue.• It sends letters to its institutional family but none for
donors/the public.• There is no engagement on Twitter, only generic tweets.
Reaction: Swift, Mixed, Short-Lived
• MoneySense Ranking for CCS: C+ in 2012, B- in 2011, B in 2010
• Charity Intelligence- CCS does not make Top 33 in 2011, but makes the list in 2012.
• CCS’ Ethical Program Trustmark remains in tact• Overall donations up $2M in 2012 over 2011• Story falls out of the news quickly and has a short
and narrow run on social media... (see next slide).
Sysomos:News Mentions (N=60)
Sysomos: Blogs (N=19)
Topsy Pro: Original Tweets N=149
Part II
How Should Charities Demonstrate Transparency and Trust?
What Underpins Trust?
• Muttart Fnd. (2008) 3,900 Canadians surveyed: 77% trust charities. Those who don’t say it’s because they’re not sure how money is spent, they’ve been influenced by a charity scam or scandal, or feel that too much goes to administration.
• Hope Consulting (2011) 5,000 surveyed in U.S.A: Donors want to learn about mission, legitimacy, financials and impact. They prefer comprehensive analysis to seals of approval.
• Ipsos MORI for the Charity Commission in England and Wales (2012): The most important factor relating to trust = the way charities spend people’s money.
Current Measures Used• Donor Bill of Rights (widely adopted): 10 principles to build respect
& trust: being informed about capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purpose, access to financial statements, the ability to ask questions and expect prompt and truthful answers
• Standards Program (Imagine Canada): Peer-reviewed accreditation/ ‘trustmark’ to signal compliance on 72 standards re: board governance, financial accountability and transparency, fundraising, staff management and volunteer involvement
• Fundraising Ratio (CRA): 35% or less fundraising revenue to cost• Admin Ratio: total management/admin expenditures by revenues• Overhead Cost Ratio: admin, fundraising & event costs by revenues
The Problem With the Measures
• Different metrics compare apples to oranges.• Ratio is only as good as the information used
(it often has errors).• They don’t account for the reputation of the
organization/popularity of the cause.• Prospect affluence differs among charities,
forcing some to use costlier fundraisers.• They fail to indicate effectiveness and impact.
Ideas for New Metrics
• Cite the cost of each fundraising program not one bottom line total;
• Present the cost of fundraising as a 3-5 year rolling average instead of one year at a time;
• Create a metric for ROFE or Return on Funds Employed (how many people are helped for every $1 invested);
• Find a way to measure and put a value on the amount of volunteer hours contributed; and
• Invent a method to measure donor equity (the value of donors over the lifetime of their giving to the organization)
Lessons From Public Relations
• Transparency & trust underpin philanthropy. They can’t be simplified to a magic number, just like analysts don’t recommend purchasing stock based on one financial ratio.
• Metrics are important but are not enough. They don’t capture the number of people helped, effect on quality of life, and whether donations are used according to donors’ wishes.
• Benchmarking takes judgement. The public needs information that is accurate, timely, reliable and complete.
• Charities should research, interact and communicate in a way that is authentic, visible, transparent, and ongoing because relationships are what build trust and underpin success.