With recent world disasters creating some very emotive situations for all and sundry, it would be refreshing (and interesting) for the various companies, funds and appellants to disclose to the very generous, but well-worn contributors and donors, just how much of the collected funding is actually distributed to the "targetted" victims of the particular disaster?

This subject arose when I was discussing with my wife, the particular part played by Red Cross in various situations around the world, who herself is an ex Treasurer of the local branch of the Red Cross!

Some very interesting points emerge when we examine the "Volunteer" situation. In my wife`s case she was involved with local fundraising and various events etc staged to bolster funds for Head Office. This involved frequent time and labour on her part, which she obviously enjoyed, however the cost to her incurred in driving her vehicle backwards and forwards to attend the many meetings and fundraising events (because we live in the country), meant that not only was she donating her time and labour to the cause, but she was also funding her own travelling costs and wear and tear on the vehicle ..... eventually she was forced to resign her position due to increasing fuel costs!

I have heard (along the grapevine) that some of the Appeal organisations set aside around 25% of raised funding for "administration costs", some as much as 50%, so it appears that the true figures are in reality a fairly grey area! I think that in all fairness to the very generous public who continue to donate to these increasing disasters, the companies and organizations involved in this type of public funding should be compelled by law to state exactly how much they take "off the top" for themselves!

With the 'advocate for the poor' Tim Costello on a $220k package..(source: their annual report courtesy of Pericles research)

and other senior WV executives on very high salaries....

Your article is very timely.....

LETS HAVE ALL AID/NGO EXECS PUBLISH THEIR SALARIES PRIOR TO EACH MAJOR APPEAL. (in the Herald Sun :)

and let them be subject to public scrutiny.

ALSO.. lets have FULL disclosure about what 'deals' they are required to do with local politicians in order to get (some) aid to the needy!

Example. One high profile Aid organization had to supply a FLEET of large trucks to distribute the aid, which became the property of a local minister after the crisis. (Africa).. how do I know? aah..the director of that operation used to be in my Bible Study group.. so I got it from the horses mouth.

Dear Cuphandle,

We know that there are administration costs involved in all charitable organisations.

I agree with David, full disclosure would be good. Especially prior to any fund-raising campaign.

However, as a colleague whose husband works for 'World Vision,' told me - out of any given donation, perhaps only approximately 30 cents out of the dollar is what the people in need will receive.
But if you didn't give that dollar - they wouldn't even get the 30 cents.

A propos the question of disaster appeals I saw a programme on the t.v. this morning about the donations which were being received in the wake of the earthquake here 18 days ago.

Earlier in the year calls for more transparency in Government resulted in an open and ongoing invitation for thousands of queries from the public in respect to Government policy, expenditure, future goals etc. Questions could be to collective departments or to individuals. The leading question posed? "What is your salary?"

The capitalist imperative in China being well-recognised a policy has been undertaken now where all matters of incoming donations and outgoing expenditure have been made a matter of public record i.e. Mr. & Mrs. Citizen can freely check where the money and goods are coming from and where they are going.

This is a clever strategy as well because any bureaucrat or aid worker who might be tempted to fiddle the books, even if detected, has hitherto run the risk only of being exposed to their own sector. Now, with the knowledge that the whole of China including friends, relatives, business associates is capable of calling one to account a further deterrent to corruption has been established.