BBB Wise Giving Report for
Amnesty International of the USA

BBB Wise Giving Report issued April 2008
BBB Wise Giving Report expires April 2010


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Amnesty International of the USA
Address: 5 Penn Plaza
16th Floor
  New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-807-8400
Web Address: www.amnestyusa.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1966, New York
Affiliates: None

Stated Purpose: “To campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all and promote all provisions in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Amnesty International of the USA (Amnesty) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

International programs gather and disseminate information on human rights for the Amnesty movement worldwide. Amnesty supports the research of human rights violations for country campaigns and actions internationally, as well as assists in international efforts to stop them. The membership program assists in the development, training and support of local campus and country coordination groups working for Amnesty to advance human rights through communications and publications-dissemination of information to members as well as the general public. Some ($5,975,697 or 39%) of Amnesty's Communication and Publications program expenses were conducted in conjunction with its fund raising appeals.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, Amnesty's program expenses were:

  
Communications and publications 15,320,776
International 11,892,830
Membership programs 10,655,233
Campaigns and actions 6,487,348
Total Program Expenses: $44,356,187
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Larry Cox, Executive Director
Compensation*:
 $244,480

Chair of the Board: Ellen Dorsey
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Executive Director - Wallace Global Fund

Board Size: 18

Paid Staff Size: 170

*October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007 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, telephone, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 17% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $51,873,607, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
Amnesty incurred joint costs of $6,363,736 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs, $5,975,697 was allocated to program expenses and $388,039 was allocated to fund raising expenses.
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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 Amnesty's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.

Source of Funds  
Contributions from individuals 38,931,948
Donated services 7,199,765
Bequests and planned giving 4,456,123
Interest, dividends, and investment gains 3,728,827
Grants from foundations 1,137,506
Literature and merchandise sales 543,301
Events and misc income 369,654
List rental 187,339
Conference fees and regional fundraising 148,265
Total Income $56,702,728


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 82%  Fund Raising: 16%  Administrative: 2% 

Total income   $56,702,728
  Program expenses $44,356,187
  Fund raising expenses 8,797,068
  Administrative expenses 1,216,486
 
Total expenses   $54,369,741
Income in Excess of Expenses   2,332,987
Beginning net assets   19,299,806
Ending net assets   21,632,793
Total liabilities   12,726,609
Total assets   $34,359,402

Note: Amnesty reports gift of in kind income for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007 of $7,199,765. This amount consists of activists and local groups donated time ($4,268,075), use of music copyright ($2,376,000), public service announcements ($376,544), posters and advertising space ($90,146), and legal services ($89,000).

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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.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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