---

Raising charity funds through concerts or musical recordings is older than rock and roll and the cause of Ukraine relief is no exception. Various concert events for Ukraine have taken place across the U.S. in the past few weeks, as well as in other countries. The promotions for these gatherings promise that ticket sales will be used to help Ukraine relief or refugees. To help donors make informed decisions about such activities, BBB Wise Giving Alliance provides the following tips.

• See if the event has specified which Ukraine relief charity will benefit from the concert.  Don’t assume the musicians or organizers have vetted the organization(s). Verify charity trustworthiness by visiting Give.org to see if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.  Also, visit the specified charity’s website to learn more about their Ukraine-related activities and whether this is an organization you want to support. Be cautious about event promotions that reference Ukraine without indicating which charity will be helped. 

• Don’t assume the entire purchase will benefit the charity, usually it’s just a portion of the normal ticket purchase price. But the volume of tickets sold can add up to big bucks for the charity. 

• Don’t assume that all merchandise (such as t-shirts) sold at a charity concert will help the organization, unless they are authorized to do so and specify the connection. 

• Charity concert tickets that are being sold at the usual price for such events (i.e., fair market value) are not deductible as charitable gifts for federal income tax purposes. 

• Be wary of ticket scalpers. No one likes to pay inflated prices and some concert organizers prohibit this type of third-party sale. Regardless, also remember that selling a ticket at inflated prices does not mean that the designated charity will get more money. 

Remember, giving opportunities are not limited to concert sales. If interested in the charity, you can also go to its website directly and donated online.

Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video series, we are pleased to revisit a previous video interview with Carolyn Aldige, Founder and CEO of Prevent Cancer Foundation and Lisa McGovern, Executive Director of the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. The Prevent Cancer Foundation is a BBB Accredited Charity that supports cancer prevention research, education, and community outreach programs across the United States. The Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program is an bipartisan activity of the Foundation that seeks to increase the public’s understanding of cancer prevention and early detection. Families of Senate, House, Cabinet, Supreme Court and the Diplomatic Corps are invited to work within their respective constituencies to educate the public.
 

---

Heart of Giving Podcast

This week’s Heart of Giving Podcast features an interview with Matthew Lawlor, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of Ceca Foundation. He talks about the caregiving industry, the challenges being faced by caregivers in the healthcare communities, and the impact that Ceca is making to improve the situation.

Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• EveryChild
• Operation Shoestring
• Junior Achievement USA

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.