1.Over the years, middle class has become aware of their duty/obligation to society. People are ready to support NGOs who do good work in various spheres.Since they give their small mite, they want to make sure it reaches the right NGO and the deserving recipient.That is why rating is important.My son had sent $200 for an NGO which was not aknowledged in the Annual Report( of course it has issued a receipt) and when I asked it about it, it gave an apology and promised to mention it in the next Annual Report which was not done.
In the meanwhile, again $200 was given, again it was not mentioned. This time reason was, it does not aknowledge any amount below Rs.10,000/-. Since the NGO is quite well-known and my friends have told me about their good work, I did not follow it further. Now I have decided that it is better that I give to people near my residence who are in need rather than any NGO.Most of NGOs are not professioinally managed.
2.Criteria – effectiveness of the NGO and its integrity.
3. An institution like yours or the Centre for the Advancement of Philanthropy.
4. Very difficult to say. CRY is a good example.Another is,Association for Social Health in India.
Some recent reports on NGOs scare me. “NGO clean up: 8000 under watch” says a report in the Indian Express(10/11/06). It reveals that Rs.6000 crore are received by 32,000 NGOs from foreign countries and they have not filed required returns and some of them have misused the funds for other purposes.I also recently read a review of the book, NGOs,Activists and Foreign Funds: Anti National Industry, in Free Press Journal (1/10/06). It makes a very disturbing reading.
In view of this, rating is very important. Donars give their very hard-earned money. It has to be used for the right purpose – empowering the poor, women and children – with education and skills.NGOs should not be allowed to be like government hand-outs which according to Late P.M.Rajiv Gandhi only 15 paise out of a rupee reaches the intended recipient.Only institutions like yours can act like the eys and ears of the donars.
M.D.Kini