Metro NY BBB: Apply for a Charity Seal

How It Works   |   About Accreditation   |   Fees   |   License Agreement   |   Current Seal Holders   |   Apply

Please contact our staff now to request assistance with your charity's BBB Accreditation application. Our team will be happy to respond, answer your questions and walk you through the BBB report preparation process. BBB charity reports entail an accreditation evaluation against the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Please note the steps listed below for more details.

STEP 1: Determining Initial Compliance with the BBB Charity Standards
Charities that are the subject of a current BBB charity report and charities that do not yet have a BBB report, which are interested in applying for the seal should contact the Metro New York BBB Foundation.

Charities that are not the subject of a current report will be asked to complete a questionnaire and submit related materials so that the Metro New York BBB Foundation can determine if they meet the BBB charity standards. The results of Metro New York BBB Foundation evaluations will be made available to the public and published online as a BBB charity report, whether or not the charity meets the standards.

STEP 2: Licensing Agreement and Fee Arrangement
New York charities that meet the BBB charity standards and wish to participate in the seal program sign a license agreement specifying the conditions for use of the seal and submit the appropriate annual fee. Fees are on a sliding scale based on the total amount of public contributions received in the past year by the entity applying for the seal. The licensing agreement and the fee schedule are available on this website.

A charity should submit signed license agreement and fee only after it has been informed that it currently meets the BBB charity standards.

STEP 3: Determining Continuing Compliance with BBB Charity Standards
Every 2 years, the New York charity will need to complete a full questionnaire and submit updated supporting documents for a current report evaluation in relation to the BBB charity standards.

The Metro New York BBB Foundation may revisit an existing evaluation at any time to consider new information that comes to its attention. The Metro New York BBB Foundation will contact the charity for any needed clarification and will promptly review the related facts and circumstances.

If the Metro New York BBB Foundation concludes that a New York charity seal participant no longer meets the BBB charity standards, the Metro New York BBB Foundation will terminate the charity’s participation in the seal program and will update the charity's BBB report to reflect the termination.

The Metro New York BBB Foundation encourages New York charities to distribute information about the BBB charity standards and their implementation among its staff to help ensure continued compliance with the standards.