August 2000

About This Article

To gather information for topical articles like this one, GuideStar sends an e-mail query to all nonprofit organizations in our database that work in the appropriate subject area and that also participate in GuideStar. For "The Dog Days of Summer," we contacted 156 organizations; for our forthcoming article on nonprofits fighting hunger, we e-mailed 272 nonprofits.

In general, about 10 percent of the organizations respond. From their replies, we select the statements that best outline different aspects of the organizations' work—the challenges they're facing, successes they've had, new programs they're trying.

Inclusion in a GuideStar article does not constitute endorsement by GuideStar. GuideStar does not evaluate the charities in our database; our mission is to provide information that will enable donors and nonprofits to make their own decisions. That is why we try to let the organizations speak for themselves as much as possible, both in their GuideStar Reports and in our feature articles.

GuideStar is not a watchdog organization. The Better Business Bureau and the National Charities Information Bureau, however, do evaluate several hundred charities according to their respective standards of accountability, governance, and financial performance. Should you have concerns about a particular organization, you can contact the Better Business Bureau's Philanthropic Advisory Service at (703) 247-9329 and the National Charities Information Bureau at (212) 929-6300.

Sources Cited

• American Association of Fundraising Counsel. "Total Giving Reaches $190.16 Billion as Charitable Contributions Increase $15.80 Billion in 1999: Second Largest Increase of the Decade." Press Release, May 24, 2000.
• Andres, Susan, director of marketing, communications, and membership, The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, California. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 27, 2000.
• Bender, Marjorie, program coordinator, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Pittsboro, North Carolina. E-mail to Melanie Beaumont, July 24, 2000
• Carter, Nicholas B., executive director of Border Collie Rescue, Inc., Melrose, Florida. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 25, 2000.
• Cress, Doug, trustee, Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, Boston, Massachusetts. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 25, 2000.
• Deveney, Linda, treasurer, Good Mews Animal Foundation, Marietta, Georgia. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, August 2, 2000.
• Evans, Debbe, vice president, and Dave Evans, treasurer, Fancy Cats Rescue Team, Herndon, Virginia. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, August 2, 2000.
• Farnik, Sandra, director, the Clarence Foundation, Darien, Illinois. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 30, 2000.
• Foundation Center. "All Fields Benefit from Dramatic Rise in Giving by Top-Ranked U.S. Foundations." Press release, January 2000.
• Gourlay, Janelle, vice president, Rebel Oaks Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Noble, Oklahoma. E-mail to Melanie Beaumont, July 24, 2000.
• Hoyle, Richard, director, Mini-Pigs, Inc., Culpeper, Virginia. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 24, 2000.
• McGreal, Shirley, chairwoman, International Primate Protection League, Summerville, South Carolina. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 23, 2000
• Mountain, Michael, president, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 31, 2000.
• National Center for Charitable Statistics. "Where the Large Charitable Gifts Go: Giving Patterns from 1996 to 1999." Spring 2000.
• Normile, Jo Anne, president, Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses (CANTER), Plymouth, Michigan. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, August 1, 2000.
• Russo, Karen, C., vice president, board of trustees, Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, Oakland, New Jersey. Letter to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 25, 2000.
• Sanders, Carole, president and director, Animal Angels, Paradise, Texas. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 24, 2000.
• Schlickeisen, Rodger, president, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, D.C. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, August 2, 2000,
• Seidner, Ann, development chair, Cats Exclusive, Inc., Margate, Florida. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 27, 2000.
• Silver, Bob, secretary-treasurer, Horse Protection Association of Florida, Inc., Miami, Florida. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 23, 2000
• "Toward 2000 and Beyond: Charitable and Social Change Giving in the New Millennium." A Craver, Mathews, Smith & Company Donor Study conduced by Peter D. Hart Research Associates. 1999, p. 10.
• Westfall-Bochte, Pamela, director of development, The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, California. E-mail to Suzanne E. Coffman, July 27, 2000.

Suzanne E. Coffman, with research assistance by Laura Wilson
August 2000
© 2000 Philanthropic Research, Inc.