Where does the money go?

I'm sure you've heard that question before.  You know, "Okay, I'll make a donation, but where does my money actually go?"  Well, I've found some answers you can use in your fundraising efforts!

According to Charity Navigator, whose numbers are based on 2009 tax filings, approximately 71% of funds goes to programming, 22% goes to fundraising efforts, and 6% goes to administrative expenses.  You can see a quick breakdown of their 2008/2009 FY income and expense report, and you can view their filed 990s by signing up for the website for free.  As a note, most charity websites are about 2-3 years behind in the tax filings, as it takes a while to release the information.

This article from WSBTV published in 2011 echoes this information and also provides links to the different tax filings.  The article also places a heavy emphasis on what money doesn't go directly to cancer prevention, but we must keep in mind that this is a worldwide organization with 5,000 employees.  And, as always, the internet is full of opinions and mis-information, so do be careful when you Google!

This blog post from Givewell.org compares the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen For The Cure.  The most striking piece I found was a breakdown of the ACS program expenses from 2008:



Based on the 2008 filed 990 from the American Cancer Society


And, straight from the horses mouth - here is a breakdown of the ways the funds are used by the American Cancer Society (this should pop open in 2 screens:  one webpage and then one MS Word document).  We are aiming for 5 million fewer deaths, 6 million fewer new diagnoses, and, above all else, MORE BIRTHDAYS!

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook! You can also reach the website at http://www.relaybridgewater.org/ or email us at relaybridgewater@gmail.com.