ORGANIZATIONS THAT PAY TELEMARKETERS

[December 10th, 2003] In our annual "Give Guide", WW gives shoutouts to several local charities that deserve your holiday dough. The Rogue Desk has the goods on a few that probably don't.

For the past four years, the Oregon Department of Justice's Charitable Activities Section has released a list of the 20 nonprofit organizations that generated the most inquiries from consumers over the last year. Not all of these organizations are guilty of misconduct, but a look at the economic profiles of a few reveals a shocking amount of blue-ribbon roguery.

The Better Business Bureau sets a standard with nonprofits that no less than 65 percent of the donations they receive should go directly to charitable programs. But many organizations pay telemarketers to collect cash in Oregon, meaning donors get a disappointing fizzle out of their buck. For example:

The Veterans Fund gives telemarketing firm Xentel 85 percent of all funds collected over the phone, according to records filed with the state.

Kids Wish Network, an $8-million-a-year charity, forks over 88 cents of every dollar collected via telemarketing to Jadent Inc.

The International Union of Police Associations lets telemarketing firm LAS take 85 percent of the donations it collects.

The American Association of State Troopers gives its telemarketers 80 cents of every dollar.

Portland Firefighters Association Local 43 and the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association let telemarketers take 80 and 85 percent of cash gifts, respectively.

According to Victoria Cox of the state Department of Justice, there are no rules restricting how much a telemarketing company can take out of a donation, but there is one way to make sure your dollar goes where you want it: If a telemarketer solicits a donation, ask him or her what their cut is. They're required by law to answer truthfully.