Wounded Warrior Project Selling Donor Info
Last month, Mark Alexander examined questions surrounding the Wounded Warrior Project, a Florida-based organization that spends so much of its revenue on advertising that it is now the most widely recognized veteran support organization. The knock is that WWP spends too much of its fundraising on more fundraising and not enough on helping wounded veterans. According to Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest oversight and review organization for charitable groups, WWP allocates about 55% of its revenue to program expenses while the remaining 45% is used for fundraising, salaries, consulting, meetings, events and travel. WWP brought in $342 million in 2014. Now, new allegations have surfaced the WWP is selling donor information, allegedly bringing in more than $1 million. Ayla Hay, a spokeswoman for the WWP, defended the practice, saying, “Sound and common business practice dictates that organizations or companies mailing marketing materials to the public share and exchange lists.” Others aren’t so sure that profiting off of donor information is really what’s best for wounded veterans. Just remember, when it comes to donating to charitable organizations, caveat emptor.