Are you GIVING WISELY this year-end? It’s that time of year again when we gather to
give thanks to friends and family, to celebrate our achievements for the year, and to give to those organizations most in need. For many of our readers, this means considering a number of diff erent equine organizations for fi nal year- end gifts. T ere are countless worthy equine charities in both Maryland and across the United States. Sometimes, however, the process of selecting the charity that you feel most passionate about and comfortable giving to can be daunting. Fortunately, there are many great resources available to you to make sure you are working with and giving to a legitimate cause! National organizations (such as GuideStar and Charity Navigator) have become watchdogs for all types of charitable giving,
providing useful
information to the general public. At T e Equiery, we have compiled a few tips
from national philanthropic resources to help guide you through this giving season:
Be Careful of Names that Sound Alike Uninformed donors are easily confused by
charities that have strikingly similar names to others. Many names are nearly identical, but their performances can be vastly diff erent. Always double check the Charity Navigator ratings! An organization could have a 0-star charity rating while a charity with a similar name could be rated 3-stars. Informed donors take the time to uncover the diff erence. In our world, the most common “sound-
alike name” problem is with any organization that utilizes the phrase “humane society.” T e phrase “humane society” is used by lobbying organizations as well as hands-on shelters and rescues; it is employed equally by animal rights political activists and offi cial local government animal control offi ces.
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580
Wise donors don’t drop money into canisters at the checkout counter or hand over cash to solicitors outside the supermarket. Situations like these are irresistible to scam artists who wish to take advantage of your good will. Smart givers only support groups granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All of the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator meet this basic requirement. We cannot stress enough how important it is to ensure that an organization has a confi rmed 501(c)(3) status and is registered with Maryland’s Secretary of State https://sos.
Both GuideStar and Charity Navigator
have tools for assessing the accountability and transparency of a charity. T is data is critical because charities that follow good governance and transparency practices are less likely to engage in unethical or irresponsible activities. So, the risk that such charities would misuse donations is lower than for charities that don’t adopt such practices. In Maryland, equine rescues and horse
sanctuaries are required to be licensed by the Maryland Horse Industry Board. If the facility is not licensed but is sheltering horses that are ostensibly rescued or is adopting out horses, you may wonder about other ways in which the facility may be noncompliant. Licensed stables can be found at
https://mda.maryland.gov/ horseboard/Pages/
horse_board.aspx.
Also, if
the rescue is soliciting donations, check to see if it is registered with the Maryland Offi ce of the Secretary of State.
Savvy donors know that the fi nancial health of a charity is a strong indicator of the charity’s performance. T ey know that with most programs, the most effi cient charities spend 75% or more of their budget on their programs and services, and less than 25% on fundraising and administrative fees. T ey also understand that a claim of zero
fundraising and/or
administrative fees is unlikely at best. T ey understand that a charity’s ability to sustain its programs over time is just as important as its short-term day-to-day spending practices.
So as you gather this holiday season and
refl ect on your good fortunes of the year, remember those in need, specifi cally our Maryland horses. If you have not yet heard of the Maryland Horse Council’s Maryland Equine Transition Service, we urge you to learn more about the work that we are doing at
www.mdequinetransition.org. T e Maryland Equine Transition service
is truly the fi rst of its kind because it is a statewide initiative, developed and supported by the equine industry, to ensure that safe alternatives for horses needing homes are available and accessible to all owners who need the service. T e Maryland Horse Council (MHC) was
the fi rst horse council in the United States to support the S.A.F.E. Act, proposed federal legislation to prohibit shipping horses to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered. In doing so, MHC recognized the corresponding need to create safe alternatives for horses that, for many reasons, may end up at-risk. In June 2017, members of MHC met with
representatives from T e Right Horse Initiative to discuss a potential partnership. In August 2017, about a dozen industry professionals met to brainstorm possibilities. It was at this meeting that the concept for METS was born. T e Right Horse Initiative awarded MHC a
generous 3-year grant to pilot test the program in early 2018. METS is making history and is a win-win-win for horses, owners, and the equine industry. You can make donations online at
https://mdequinetransition.org/donate/.
DECEMBER 2018 | THE EQUIERY | 25
maryland.gov/Charity/Pages/default.aspx. In order to solicit donations in Maryland,
Maryland law requires that an entity (including a bank account set up to help defray medical costs) must be registered with the Maryland Offi ce of the Secretary of State. If an entity is not registered, do NOT give it money, as it is breaking the law. T ere are some entities that can legitimately accept contributions without being a charity (such as a bank account temporarily set up to collect funds to help defray immediate major medical costs for an injured rider), so long as that entity is registered with the Offi ce of the Secretary of State. To fi nd out if an organization to which you wish to contribute is legitimate, check with the Offi ce of the Secretary of State.
Savvy donors also seek out charities that are able to grow their revenue at least at the rate of infl ation, that continue to invest in their programs and that have some money saved for a rainy day.
All horse rescues, equine sanctuaries or therapeutic programs should be willing to provide their fi nancial records, even if unaudited.
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