Charitable Donations in North Carolina Plummet According to State Report
The Office of the Secretary of State of North Carolina has reported a significant drop in charitable donations in the state over the past year.
The Annual Report 2023-2024 from the Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division (CSL) of the Secretary of State of North Carolina, recently published, reveals that CSL-authorized charities raised $27,053,714 during the 12-month period, compared to the $58,049,394 raised in the fiscal year 2022-2023.
Secretary of State Elaine Marshall stated in a press release that the CSL Annual Report provides a snapshot of charitable solicitation activity as governed by North Carolina’s Charitable Solicitation Act, and is not a comprehensive view of all charitable donations across the state.
North Carolina residents are known for their generosity, Marshall acknowledged, especially during times of economic pressure. She expressed gratitude to those who have continued to donate and emphasized the importance of researching and donating to efficient organizations to ensure that donations have the greatest possible impact on causes that matter.
The report also revealed that only 60.72% of donations made it directly to charitable programs, a decrease from the previous year. Marshall noted that there may be valid reasons for lower figures in the report, such as educational efforts being classified as fundraising expenses.
In addition to financial donations, Marshall encouraged individuals to donate their time to local charities to assess their effectiveness and help in meaningful ways.
The Secretary of State’s Office licenses charities and nonprofits using professional fundraising services for campaigns that raise at least $50,000 annually. While the office regulates fundraising activities, it cannot legally penalize charities for using a majority of donations for fundraising or administrative costs.
For questions about specific charities or charitable solicitation activities, individuals can contact the Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division of the Secretary of State at 1-888-830-4989.
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