Our program staff also help to procure hard to get items. The Buzz on Animal Rights Artist Sue Coe: A New Book and Video. Heifer USA works with small-scale farmers in the United States to help them transform their communities through training and cooperatives. Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties, Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website. By purchasing a Heifer International alternative gift tomorrow for Giving Tuesday, you can help end hunger and poverty among families in dire need. We agree that Heifer International discloses all relevant information, and is not hiding anything the question, though, is what impression donors come away with. USA. However, one important difference is that people who buy Nike shoes do eventually figure out what they actually did and didnt get for their money. As Bill suggested double checking information is a very good idea. Seventy percent of all Ethiopias cattle are raised pastorally in the highlands of their country, where less than 100 pounds of meat and a few gallons of milk are produced per acre of land used. Opt-out: The charity has a written privacy policy published on its website which enables donors to tell the charity to remove their names and contact information from lists the charity shares or sells. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence. Having another mouth to feed can significantly add to a familys burden, and the animals frequently suffer from neglect, malnutrition, dehydration, lack of veterinary care, and lack of shelter from temperature extremes. The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year. We increased investment in infrastructure - transportation to get products to market, online marketplaces where farmers can sell direct to consumers, storage and cold chain facilities - and issued cash transfers to cooperatives so they can provide more flexible support to farmers, given the evolving situation. GiveWell is devoted to finding charities in which we can have more confidence. Additionally, you express concerns about Heifers livestock model and its impact. Dont Send One, Either. - We have provided food aid, PPE and farming inputs to partner communities. Goal One: Support 10 million households to reach a living income by 2030. Well be discussing our two top-rated charities working internationally in forthcoming posts. See this article from the American Institute of Philanthropy for more on this topic: http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/salaries.html. Heifer International believes ending global hunger and poverty begins with agriculture. A few suggestions as alternatives:) http://www.charitywater.org/ http://www.farmafrica.org naturalveg 10 yr. ago also: http://awellfedworld.org/ meatrocket78 10 yr. ago if you want to give money to charity I would look at sites like http://www.givingwhatwecan.org/ and make sure you are making the biggest and best difference possible. These uses of water are in direct competition with the drinking water needs of local communities, as well as with the supply of water available to grow foods for direct human consumption. Most of it goes toward their own infrastructure, which means rent, staff, travel and investigation This is cynical exploitation of animals and poor people.. Ive met quite a few people who lost fingers while trying to kill a goat., *note: photo not shown due to graphic nature. Heifer International was founded in 1944 by farmer Dan West, after returning home from feeding fatigued refugees affected by the Spanish Civil War. Operating Status Active. I feel that raising questions like the ones we raise above is more productive. Logically, this makes sense but rarely is it fully considered. Our Global Grants strengthen plant-based feeding and farming programs, education, and advocacy. We agree that its a positive development, but it doesnt change our overall picture much, for a few reasons: Want to stay updated on GiveWell's research? Why Aren't Donated Clothes Always Given Away for Free? Heifer . Competitor Summary. In Thailand, for example, evaluators found Heifers work helped villagers access greater amounts and varieties of food, helped increase their knowledge and skills in livestock care, and that extra income for livestock and food helped villagers send their children to school for more years. What all of the charities below have in common is that (a) we have major questions and concerns about their activities; (b) the information necessary to see how serious these concerns are does not seem to be available. While animal-giving programs seem to focus on small-scale farming, they have extremely large-scale implications that pave the way for factory farming, and exponentially increase consumption of meat, dairy and eggs throughout entire countries and beyond. Executives in the nonprofit sector, like all workers in the nonprofit sector, typically take a pay cut compared to what they could earn in the public sector. - We kept more than 4,000 families from leaving their homes during the most critical period of the pandemic, with 200 producer families benefiting from the sale of their products, with crops their main source of income. Former Indian minister for social welfare and animal protection, Maneka Gandhi, stated: Nothing irritates me more than charities abroad that collect money and purport to give it to women or children or for animals in Asia or Africa. The strategy was to establish short and direct chains between urban areas with poor access to fresh produce and farmers in surrounding provinces. In October 2020, Heifer International provided anti-racism training to all US staff, as part of a wider, ongoing DEI initiative covering all of the 21 countries it works in. Heifer International is a non-profit organization that works with communities to end world hunger and poverty. For example, our top-rated charity (VillageReach) doesnt appear (based on its Form 990) to pay anyone more than $65,000/yr. However, there is a crucial piece of information missing: how it allocates its budget between programs (in particular, how much it spends on its stronger and better-documented vs. more questionable programs). In this case, we deduct 15 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. There is a profound lack of supervision (with teeth) in the charity sector. The result is widespread digestive ills such as stomach pain, gas, bloating, cramps, diarrhea, and even vomiting. THE MAGAZINE OF HEIFER INTERNATIONAL SPRING 2020 | HEIFER.ORG PLUS What's the Real Cost of Your Coffee Habit? Our multi-level approach provides immediate assistance to people in need and structural change that maximizes personal and planetary health. For greater detail about Heifers impact, I encourage a visit Heifers Web site, http://www.heifer.org, to read the results of five years of evaluations by the Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University. Helping people is something to feel good about. As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. I dont think it is difficult to satisfy both criteria at once. We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. We often hear about those honored by a Heifer International gift. ), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Paper surveys, Case management notes, Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) Heifer International already operates such programs and can quickly and easily shift its focus and resources from animal abuse and meat consumption advocacy to a more compassionate, sustainable and effective initiatives, such as - irrigation systems installations, supplying seeds and farming training, empowering woman small businesses and more. Ian, Without citing specific organizations, you would first look at who GiveWell (or whichever rating service you choose to use) recommends, then consider the executive compensation question. Normally, we focus on identifying outstanding charities, and minimize the time spent on opaque or otherwise lackluster ones. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting, Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website, Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website. Goal Three: Build inclusive and effective value chains, The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development. We have significant methodological doubts about the Rwanda evaluation (see the Development Impact Blogs writeup. While at Heartland Alliance International, Sandosham championed human rights providing lifesaving services and advocacy to survivors of conflict and those at risk of human rights abuses.. Heifer International gives the gift of animals Instead of waiting in line with hundreds of others for a chance at nabbing the year's hottest Christmas gifts, Food Network chef Alton Brown. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. Sustainable agriculture, which includes animals, is at the heart of everything Heifer does with project participants and families. A summary of the evaluations can be found at: http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.5647733/?msource=XS2M090001&utm_source=Heifer&utm_medium=Website_Banner&utm_campaign=ImpactStudy. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Again, gifts that are designated for a particular project or animal are used as requested until that need is fully met. Why are the WMU evaluations confidential, anyway? Partial Credit: The charity's audited financials were prepared by an independent accountant, but it did not have an audit oversight committee. I doubt they use the full donations but instead use them on things which they shouldnt be doing.. they have to improve. Thats why we created the Climate-Friendly Food Guide to provide more details, recipes, tips, and resources. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organizations overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned. Concerns about the priorities and appropriate use of donations apply to all animal gifting programs, but Heifer International raises particular concerns because of their annual budget which exceeds $100 million a year, and luxury spending such as on their headquarters pictured here. (I believe that Givewell is one of them). "How beautiful is a world that is healthy, well-fed, and kind all at the same time. The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners. Dawn has been a social justice advocate for more than 20 years. - Building social capital is a core part of Heifer Internationals Values Based Holistic Community Development model which focuses on strengthening communities through training on activities including Heifer Internationals 12 Cornerstones, informal savings and loans, animal management, and a wide range of business and management training. Evaluators witnessed improvements around the world. Increased dairy production is frequently touted as one of the greatest successes of animal-gifting programs. That is pretty simple and straightforward, I think. While dairy is a source of calories, the resources used to produce it may be better spent on alternatives that provide a higher quality and quantity of calories, protein and calcium. We encourage you and your readers to visit the Heifer Web site to review this report and its findings. Copyright | Free From Harm | All Rights Reserved. Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below. Together with farmer cooperatives and other partners, we have invested in trucks, motorbikes and other distribution systems so farmers could continue to sell their produce, while working with governments and other local actors to ensure farmers could access medicines, feed, and important support services for their animals. I think the average donor is probably very unaware of what some of these salaries are (I was myself until recently), but, as I indicated earlier, that information is easily obtained. The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). Most notably, Heifer International. And I was trying to argue that such compensation is unnecessary and therefore the issue itself need not exist at all. The conclusion states in part Animal donations appear to have a favorable effect on recipient households? For more than 75 year. 526 Employees . See other 990s. Full Credit: The charity's audited financials were prepared by an independent accountant with an audit oversight committee. Cull good intentions of useless self serving operations going round in circles of their own PR importance! Your donation: Provides sustaining support throughout the year to families in need Helps us to plan ahead and respond to urgent needs Creates lasting change for years to come Donation 1 Details 2 Payment 3 Give Monthly Give One Time Continue to Details The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. The two giving criteria executive compensation and cost-effective impact are not mutually exclusive. For example: Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria. - COVID information has been shared widely in program communities through existing networks, partners, and the media. The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). No Credit: The charity did not have its audited financials prepared by an independent accountant. Phone Number (855) 948-6437. Students must hear alternative views which they disagree with, new UCD president says Free speech on college campuses has become a major international issue amid rise of 'cancel culture' Donate Now. Additionally, families agree to Pass on the Gift, too, by passing on offspring of the animal as well as the education and training they received to others, multiplying the initial gift. However, 75% of the world is lactose-intolerant, and 90% of Asian and African populations (toward whom dairy programs are aggressively targeted) are lactose intolerant. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) We received feedback from participants that are part of Hatching Hope - a collaboration between Heifer International and Cargill to support rural smallholders across the globe with training, technical support and resources to improve income and nutrition through poultry product - in India that their chickens were affected by disease outbreaks in the region. And now you can pack all your good feelings in your very own goat tote. They can be applied together. Former Indian minister for social welfare and animal protection, Maneka Gandhi explains that when goats are allowed or forced by consequences to graze: each goat eats all the grass and shrubbery on two hectares of land a year. There any plenty of organizations who pay short salaries and fail to create any impact. We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your donation is fully tax-deductible as allowed by law. In 2012, Heifer International spent more than a million dollars on professional fundraising fees. The Charity Navigator rating isnt just less useful than a GiveWell-style analysis its nearly useless if your goal is to actually help people with your donation. Ethical Vegans Must Reject Donald Trump. If the problem persists contact us. Im impressed by the intelligent, respectful and thoughtful conversation found here. Read our blog or follow us by email, That figure jumps to more than $22 million when printing, distribution, processing, and other fundraising-related costs are included. According to Animal Nepal Founder, Lucia DeVries:I have been sending letters to Dutch agencies to stop this kind of program for yet another reason the animals are generally slaughtered in an inhumane mannerIn Nepal, for instance, there is only one slaughterhouse, in the capital (Katmandu). No Credit: There has been a diversion of assets within the last two years and the charity's explanation on Schedule O is either non-existent or not sufficient. This is wholly unacceptable if not pernicious. With Alternative Giving, . It doesnt sound right to me, and I also believe the overhead ratio issue is usually a distraction. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. To end hunger & poverty and care for the earth. More information is available here: https://www.heifer.org/blog/raising-chickens-and-hatching-hope-odisha-india-heifer-international-.html. Hold Illinois Governor Pritzker Accountable for his Huge New Investment in Animal Ag. This charity's score is 86%, earning it a Three-Star rating. We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charitys success. Farmers that were on a pathway toward living income regressed, with the income gap widening. Heifer International boasts that their projects produced 3.6 million gallons of milk in one year in Uganda, and developed a national dairy program in Tanzania. This organization's score of 93 is a passing score. Furthermore, children who are supposed to benefit from animal gifts may be taken out of school to tend to animals. Senior leadership is engaged in a two-year process of intentional development, focused on key competency areas. Heifer International is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to strengthening local economies by eradicating poverty and hunger. Heifer International is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. A Well-Fed World sends 100% of your donation to four hand-picked groups with low-overhead and proven successes in high-need areas. Animals also endure horrific slaughter processes and long distance transport to and from the recipients location. We also have a comprehensive, multi-channel marketing strategy. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage. This means that already limited freshwater supplies are diverted to animals for their hydration, sanitation, and the cultivation of the forage used to feed them. Animals must be provided food and water in areas where these resources are already scarce. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. - Program spending reduced significantly, as countries implemented national lockdowns. Im not saying that salaries are justified in every case. Rather than focusing on executive pay, which is more likely to create self-righteousness than anything else, it is more productive to focus on impact and cost-effectiveness. There are village quarrels about community grazing; children are taken out of school to graze the goats; water becomes even scarcer, Two goats can reduce the amount of farmland available to local people and result in villages becoming deserted, while a cow will drink up to 90 liters of water every single day., Some agricultural economists began pointing out flaws in the strategy during the 1970s, notably that many recipients of gift animals were unable to feed them to maturity, let alone able to feed and raise offspring., Environmentalists later added questions about the wisdom of introducing non-native livestock to often fragile habitats, where animals with larger or different appetites from the indigenous strains might overtax the vegetation or simply starve., Heifer International and similar organizations spend exorbitant amounts of money on colorful, glossy catalogs depicting cute children hugging and kissing happy, healthy animals (like this HI catalog photo). Contact Lactose intolerance occurs when there is not enough of an enzyme called lactase. - Staff regularly present at industry-specific conferences and events. Many recipients of animal gifting programs struggle to provide even the most basic care to the animals they receive. The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020, Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core. Joedy, thanks for the link. Our evaluation convinced us of the importance of continuing with this core feature.. As an alternative, Goodall in the video recommends donors invest in community seed hubs, water irrigation systems and soil regeneration. Mail donations to:P.O. As a result, poultry mortality rates have fallen significantly among program participants. Compare this with: a) CARE (a similar type organization that is secular and has a more holistic approach) with overhead at 7.9% (according to their 2004 990 filing MRA) Partial Credit: There has been a diversion of assets within the last two years and the charity has used Schedule O on the Form 990 to explain: the nature of the diversion, the amount of money or property involved and the corrective action taken to address the matter. Heifer International reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways: How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially: - We took measures to reduce overhead costs in early 2020 in the face of an uncertain donor landscape and to ensure continued support to programs. Pay is but one of thousands of ways in which a charity can waste money; rather than focusing on it, take the charitys total costs into account and find out how much impact you are getting for those costs. Working with rural communities in 21 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States, Heifer International supports farmers and local food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income. In this situation, we deduct 7 points from the charity's Accountability and Transparency score. These cookies do not store any personal information. She also draws attention to the negative consequences of increasing livestock production and intensification on climate change and oil scarcity. Following feedback from program participants on the impact of COVID on their operations, we shifted some of our program funding to respond to evolving community needs. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. By working to improve farmer visibility, Heifer International aims to connectsocial entrepreneurs to farmers and farmer data, enabling these innovators to provide tailored solutions to support farmers and co-ops at scale. Heifer International. This food and water can be in direct competition with human consumption. I would go in that order. Quoted from the GiveWell website are concerns about animal gifting in general: When examining organizations implementing livestock-distribution programs, we feel it is appropriate to ask the following questions. Full set of blog posts on Grameen Foundation, Full set of blog posts on Heifer International, Full set of blog posts on The Robin Hood Foundation. Since 1944, it has invested in more than 39 million small-scale farmers and their families around the world, providing livestock, training, and access to a wide range of farmer-focused services. In addition to the massive number of animals who suffered factory farm and slaughterhouse atrocities, the increased consumption of animal fat led to significant health issues for the Japanese people. As a result, the idea that Nike doesnt turn you into LeBron James is widely recognized. In fact, their advanced search feature allows you to use that as a search criteria. Unfortunately, zero-grazing means that confined animals must have food and water actually brought to them. The salary information given is very revealing and, in some cases, seemingly incongruous with the organizations stated missions and the dire needs that they are addressing. To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve. The local farmers and food producers we work with saw demand disappear overnight, as markets, hotels and restaurants were forced to close, and costs skyrocket, with restrictions on movement making access to animal feed, seeds and farm labor especially difficult. Twitter, From these catalogs, well-meaning donors choose which animal they would like to send as their gift-donation. As President and CEO of Heifer International, this weighs heavy on my heart. And finally, the animals are far from happy. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. People looking for large compensations should stay in the Private sector. This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. Mary, what is your source for the 80% overhead figure? The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals. Our purpose here is to make the criticisms of these campaigns public and to encourage alternatives that are more effective and more compassionate. With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve? 10 Mothers On Why Theyre Saying NO To Dairy. Heifer International (also known as Heifer Project International) is a global nonprofit working to eradicate poverty and hunger through sustainable, values-based holistic community development. How much funding does GiveWell expect to raise through 2025? Some children have even had to sleep in the barn with animals to prevent theft. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Heifer International believes ending global hunger and poverty begins with agriculture. The model relies heavily on in-person activities including workshops, group sessions and on-farm activities. In 2009, Lydia and her mother traveled to Vietnam on a Heifer International study tour to meet families that are recipients of Heifer gifts. This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website. Thank God someone is doing this homework, at last! Furthermore, there is no need for humans to consume the milk of other animals. This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Please consider supporting our Plants-4-Hunger program or choose another favorite! horizons HEIFER.ORG | 1 For the last couple . Section 501(c)(3), and is a non-profit organization eligible to receive tax-deductible donations.Each donation to Heifer is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and represents a contribution to its entire mission which is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

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