Where can you go to check the rating of a charity you'd like to support? There are several organizations that rate charities:

Charity Watch, the watchdog arm of the American Institute of Philanthropy

Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator

Charity Ratings Watchdog Service and Non-Profit Organization

Give.org, the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance

GuideStar.org, information on charities not tracked by a watchdog service

 

The following articles highlight the confusing track record of some of the nearly 45 thousand veterans related non-profits known.

·               http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/nov/10/veterans-charities-dont-all-make-the-grade/

·               https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=531#.VpWThq876rU

·               https://www.charitywatch.org/charitywatch-articles/a-donor-39-s-guide-to-serving-the-needs-of-veterans-and-the-military/150

·               http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/story/2011-11-07/veterans-charities/51113928/1

·               https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/?gclid=CJT5hf6ipcoCFRRlfgodluIIxw

 In the end, for those really interested, the following is the IRS guidelines for what and how such a legitimate entity should be setup and run:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicj99.pdf