Nonprofits across the country have been busy raising money in support of relief efforts in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman now wants to know the exact details of those fundraising efforts.
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, Schneiderman's office sent letters to at least 75 nonprofits on Tuesday requesting disclosure of their fundraising efforts for Sandy. The information will be compiled online by the attorney general's office Charities Bureau in an effort to improve transparency and donor confidence.
"In the coming weeks and months, we expect to reach out to you for additional information, including more detailed information about how donations have been expended and the steps taken to prevent fraud and/or misuse of resources," Jason Lilien, chief of the Charities Bureau, wrote in the letter.
Lilien goes on to write that he expects to get responses from the organizations by Dec. 11. The information that is being requested includes amounts raised and spent so far and whether the donations received will be used solely for storm relief. In addition, information regarding services provided to victims, funds forwarded to other groups, and plans for any surplus or direct grants to individuals, families or businesses.
The nearly 75 organizations contacted by the the Charities Bureau include the American Red Cross and the AARP Foundation. Letters to more nonprofits are expected to be sent in the coming weeks.
As of this writing, the agency has only received a small number of complaints about Sandy-related relief efforts by charities, reports which are currently being investigated.
You can read the full story in The Wall Street Journal.
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