CHARITABLE GIVING - CONNECTICUT

PUBLIC CHARITIES UNIT IN CONNECTICUT

The Public Charities Unit, a joint program of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General, oversees charitable solicitation activities in Connecticut. Most charities who solicit contributions in Connecticut must register with the Public Charities Unit. To ask if a charity is registered in Connecticut, or to see if the charity is a scam, or to complain about a charity’s fundraising practices, call the Public Charities Unit at (860)808-5030.

The Public Charities web site also posts:

• Annual reports of Professional Telephone Soliciting for Charity, Police and Firefighter Groups
• Public Notices of Upcoming Campaigns Using Paid Solicitors

RESEARCHING CHARITIES ONLINE

People wanting to know more about how a charity uses its money can research individual charities on the following web sites:

• www.charitynavigator.org– Charity Navigator
• www.guidestar.org - GuideStar
• www.charitywatch.org– American Institute of Philanthropy

CONNECTICUT SOLICITATION OF CHARITABLE FUNDS ACT

To read about the Connecticut Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, go to the Department of Consumer Protections website at: http://www.ct.gov/dcp/cwp/view.asp?a=1654&q=441268

This document includes information on who must register, who is exempt, and how a charity registers to solicit contributions in Connecticut.

BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE - www.give.org

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance sets standards for charitable solicitation practices and evaluates charities against these standards.

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PREPARED BY: 211CT/tb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: March2011