BBB Wise Giving Report for
American Ireland Fund

BBB Wise Giving Report issued October 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires October 2013


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: American Ireland Fund
Address: 211 Congress Street
  Boston, MA 02110
Phone: 617-574-0720
Web Address: www.irlfunds.org/aif/
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1976, Pennsylvania
Affiliates: None

Stated Purpose: "to promote peaceful, charitable, and cultural causes in the United States and in Ireland for people of both Irish descent and those not of Irish descent."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

American Ireland Fund (AIF) does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 3: Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings - An organization shall have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. A conference call of the full board can substitute for one of the three meetings of the governing body. For all meetings, alternative modes of participation are acceptable for those with physical disabilities.

AIF does not meet this Standard:

  • Because on an average, there was less than 50% face to face participation of the full governing board at the 2010 in-person board meetings.

Standard 12: Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses - Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.

AIF does not meet this Standard because, in the organization's 2010 audited financial statements, the detailed functional breakdown of expenses:

  • Was not included. A detailed functional breakdown shows expenses by natural classification (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) and indicates what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities).
AIF meets the remaining 18 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

AIF operates a network comprised of people of Irish ancestry and friends of Ireland that raise funds and support various programs in the form of grants. The organization reports that it gave 308 grants to 142 recipients in 2009. These grants were in areas of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development.

For the year ended December 31, 2010, AIF's program expenses were:

  
Grant awards 40,496,874
Other program services 1,699,072
Total Program Expenses: $42,195,946
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Kieran McLoughlin, President and CEO
Compensation*:
$408,922

Chair of the Board: Loretta Brennan Glucksman
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Philanthropist and Co-Chair of Glucksman Ireland House

Board Size: 18

Paid Staff Size: 17

*2009 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving.
Fund raising costs were 2% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $41,564,160, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on AIF's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 35,394,277
Revenues from fundraising events, net 6,055,483
Net investment gain / return 438,735
In-kind contributions (artwork) 114,400
Other 3,562
International service agency / Combined Federated Campaign income 3,548
Interest income 1,537
Net loss on foreign exchange transactions -81,081
Total Income $41,930,461


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 95%  Fund Raising: 2%  Administrative: 3% 

Total income   $41,930,461
  Program expenses $42,195,946
  Fund raising expenses 978,416
  Administrative expenses 1,560,894
 
Total expenses   $44,735,256
Expenses in Excess of Income   (2,804,795)
Beginning net assets   11,930,113
Ending net assets   9,125,318
Total liabilities   2,108,191
Total assets   $11,233,509

Note: According to AIF's 2010 audited financial statements, the organization received in-kind contributions in the amount of $114,400 which represents donated artwork.

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

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