is DEC.ORG effective? 12 November 2013 at 8:46AM in Charities 7 replies 1.7K views

[Deleted User]

I have been bitten in the past, when giving to some of the big charities, to find out how much goes on admin and then to be bombarded. I want to give to the phillipines, is DEC the best way?

1jim

I could be wrong but when you donate via dec they dish out the money to the main charities, no idea if there is any guarantee if 100%of money donated actually is spent on the appeal or if a percentage so used for their overall costs.

1jim

Taken from dec website, I suspect the last bit suggests that at least a percentage of donation goes to the individual charities management fees/wages/office etc and is covered in the "monitoring effectiveness" bit

HOW WE SPEND YOUR MONEY
We ensure at least 50 per cent of appeal funds forwarded to our member agencies go on supplies and materials, although the figure is typically more than 60 per cent.

The remainder pays for aid support, including employing staff who may organise food distributions in Pakistan or run medical programmes to prevent children dying of cholera in Haiti. Support costs can also include transport and monitoring the effectiveness of aid programmes.

EFFECTIVE RESPONSES

With the DEC’s Pakistan Appeal following monsoon rains in the country in 2010, 60 per cent of funds raised were spent on supplies and materials, including tarpaulins for use as temporary shelters, blankets, cooking utensils and food, after 12 million people saw floods destroy or damage their homes.

We detail the proportion our members spend on different types of aid in the Expenditure by Sector of Activity sections of our annual reports.

1jim

Meant to add, you won't normally be bombarded by dec, you might get an email for future appeals though but not like charities who constantly call or write asking you to increase donations etc.

[Deleted User]

Thanks 1jim. I can`t sit back and am going to donate what I am spending on my christmas internet food order. It is absolutely heartbreaking

oldtoolie

The agencies that are members of DEC are the most experienced and professional in the field. The consortium enables the donations to be allocated to the agencies most able to provide immediate aid and later to enable reconstruction. The consortium also reduces the costs of fundraising.

I know this from personal experience in the field and personal acquaintance with senior members of DEC. I made a contribution yesterday.

savemoney

I have just donated via paypal. Poor people over there it really hits you hard how fortunate we are in UK

http://www.dec.org.uk/

zagfles

You now need to email them if you don't want them to waste some of your donation sending you snail-mail. There's no longer a tick box opt-out for post, only for email. Last time I donated there was a simple tick box opt out (I got no mail from them).