Al Ruechel, Your Technology

If you have ever wanted to research a charity before you donate to it, here is Web site you need to look at before you part with your money.

The name of the Web site is 800HelpFla.com. It is a simple, one-stop site that can tell you whether the charity you want to donate to is legally registered.

The site is run by the Division of Consumer Affairs in the State of Florida.

On the home page, go down to the middle, under Hot Topics, to the topic "Charities - How is Your Money Being Spent?"

The section is called the gift giver's guide to charitable giving in Florida.

You start by typing the business name. Using some big charities like the American Cancer Society, you will see four ACS groups listed. Let's select the Tampa, Florida chapter.

Here is the meat of the site, listing total revenues; program services cost, which is 79 percent of total expenses; administrative costs -- 3 percent of total; with fund raising costs totally 18 percent of total expenses.

This is where you have to make up your mind if the figures are good or bad. For example, the Salvation Army always has one of the lowest percentage of administrative costs to costs of providing services.

Of the money the Salvation Army gets, 98 percent goes directly to programs; only 2 percent goes to administrative costs, and no money is spent on fundraising. Wow, that's a high bar to try and match.

Let's try one more group: the Florida Highway Patrol Police Benevolent Association, where 28 percent of their costs are for fundraising, 63 percent for programs and 9 percent for administration.

Look up your favorite charity at 800HelpFla.com.

To see more Your Technology stories, go to News 13 On Demand, Digital Cable Channel 313.

Click here to comment on this story.