A Sound Method for Evaluating a Charity or Ministry
How can a prospective donor identify which charity is the "best" one to support? Does a reliable source exist that enables you to make a fair comparison?
CCCC does not compare member organizations or charities in general. Rather than measuring one charity against another, CCCC has established standards to help people evaluate a charity's worthiness of support. Attaining and maintaining accreditation under the CCCC seal means an organization is measuring up to standards of organizational integrity and accountability.
CCCC's disclosure requirements allow a potential donor to assess the organization within the context of his/her own values and vision for ministry. An accredited organization has committed itself to make relevant information available to anyone requesting it. This readiness by the organization clearly demonstrates its commitment to accountability and integrity. This information then aids donors in choosing the ministries that match their passions and expectations.
In the Christian ministry context, rating based on comparisons diminishes each ministry's uniqueness. This clearly contradicts the Christian community's goal to foster cooperation and encourage mutual respect.
Organizational efficiency or performance in the nonprofit or charity community involves something more meaningful than the mathematical formulas and quick calculations people in the for-profit world often use for comparison purposes. When the primary goal is profit or a positive return on investment, ratios can be an adequate measuring tool. But even in this context, if based on anything less than up-to-the-minute data, ratings can be inaccurate and inequitable.
How can mathematical ratios accurately reflect changed lives, transformed minds, and saved individuals? Many donors place great importance on leadership and vision when choosing a ministry to support. Quantitative measurements are not adequate to assess such characteristics.
Ratios have a place in measuring a charity's current status, if a ministry's own performance is compared with that of a prior period. Anything beyond that has limited value at best.
In over 30 years of serving Christian charities in Canada, CCCC has learned that any number of variables and a host of ranking criteria can impact an organization's "performance." The diversity within the CCCC membership defies any clear basis for comparison. Standing alongside small, local organizations are large, multifaceted, international organizations. Some organizations do everything in-house; others outsource various functions. Ministries that operate with few cultural restraints, openly sharing the results of their ministry efforts, have a distinct advantage over those which work in countries or cultures that prohibit, or even make dangerous, discussion on program outcomes. The CCCC membership includes churches, parachurch organizations, well-established ministries, as well as those just starting up. Although many have similar ministry objectives, they may have different philosophies for realizing them.
Each of CCCC's member organizations is "one of a kind." Yet each fulfils a unique function within the kingdom of God.
CCCC's founders resolved to form a ministry to "serve the Body of Christ." In that effort, a membership of over 3,000 ministries has emerged. Over 160 are accredited under the CCCC Seal of Accountability. Although each ministry's work and doctrinal details differ, by God's grace, CCCC has a strong spirit of unity. The unity is evident in these common goals:
- honouring God by conducting His work with excellence
- practising transparency to build donor confidence and wisdom, and
- holding one another accountable.
As long as Christians have supported God's work, they have relied on the Holy Spirit to nudge them concerning the contribution of their time, talents, and resources. This is a priceless choice that should never be replaced by any form of "consumer reports."
The most compelling reason CCCC will not rate its members is to recognize and respect each individual's personal relationship with God. For CCCC to create measurements that would take away an individual's responsibility to make decisions based on the God-given inspiration unique to every person would be irresponsibly presumptuous. God's leading and direction must always be allowed to prevail. Every donor, every ministry, as well as CCCC itself, is answerable to, and measured against, that basic benchmark.
The CCCC Seal of Accountability indicates that a charity adheres to high standards. Look for the Seal of Accountability when making decisions about which Christian charities to support.
