What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve? From these catalogs, well-meaning donors choose which animal they would like to send as their gift-donation. Would you expect a doctor to recommend a cancer drug based on reading an abstract? 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. We have continued education in diverse market systems, emerging technologies and impact capital, and are planning for belonging labs focusing on employee engagement and inclusion. He was an advocate for Christian pacifism and a conscientious objector . Vegetarians and vegans beware: bee and tree gift-donations can support any animal program, fundraising, or overhead. This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Re: executive compensation. Heifer International cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization. The article goes to great lengths to try to justify these salaries but I would rather see greater moral imagination applied to solving these problems a different way. Summaries arent worth much. 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. THE MAGAZINE OF HEIFER INTERNATIONAL SPRING 2020 | HEIFER.ORG PLUS What's the Real Cost of Your Coffee Habit? The People Department is strengthening development policies across the organization and providing clearer guidance and support to leaders in formal and informal leaderships roles. The organization reported that it is implementing 8 Equity Practices. We send 100% of your tax-deductible donation to groups and individuals with proven successes providing warm school lunches, soy kits, supplemental food, disaster relief, community farms, and much more. Meeting the needs of hungry families always comes first, but we do our best to accommodate your wishes, too., Every gift to Heifer International represents a gift to our total mission of purchasing and transporting food and income-producing animals, as well as providing intensive training in animal husbandry; environmentally sound, sustainable farming; community development and global education. While tempting to believe, farmed animals do not just live off the land consuming only grass and scraps that dont compete with human consumption. This means that virtually all livestock are killed with the often not-too-sharp-knife of rural butchers, causing much suffering to the animal and possibly to the butcher. Teffis high in protein, with an excellent amino acid profile, is high in fiber and calcium, (1 cup of teff provides more calcium than a cup of milk), and is a rich source of boron, copper, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. Joedy, thanks for the link. And I was trying to argue that such compensation is unnecessary and therefore the issue itself need not exist at all. These massive programs were developed despite the fact that 90% of Asian and African populations are lactose intolerant. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. Those dollars should be going to where they are most needed. From these catalogs, well-meaning donors choose which animal they would like to send as their gift-donation. Animal Law 101: What Is Necessary Animal 12 Reasons You May Never Want To Eat Turkeys Again, 10 Facts About Koch Foods and Joseph Grendys. Likewise, donors should focus on a charitys evidence of impact, rather than micromanaging their spending on executive pay or office supplies. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn. With Alternative Giving, . As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. According to Heifer Internationals most recent 990 public tax form, they spent $22,359,441 on fundraising alone in one year. When you imagine a better world, what do you see? Certainly not every gift goes to provide geographically appropriate animals or plants to families gripped by poverty, but Heifer makes that fact clear in all of its publications, collateral and material. 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. Ive met quite a few people who lost fingers while trying to kill a goat., *note: photo not shown due to graphic nature. How a donor can have themselves removed from a list differs from one charity to the next, but any and all opt-out policies require donors to take specific action to protect their privacy. 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. The two giving criteria executive compensation and cost-effective impact are not mutually exclusive. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners. This independent review, led by Dr. Michael Scriven, found that, It is beyond doubt that in all 20 of the countries we have examined, Heifer has brought large overall benefits to very large numbers of low income rural families., Evaluators cited, The Heifer edge in the organizations cost-effective crusade against poverty has always been the built-in sustainability of the commitment to Passing on the Gift of livestock, and of skills in (i) their care, and in (ii) respect for the Twelve Cornerstone Values (guiding principles of all the organizations programs), evaluators noted. 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. Full set of blog posts on The Carter Center. The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year. We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. So, for example, I would consider an organizations rating by GiveWell, then use Charity Navigator to evaluate what it pays its executives. This website uses standard, nonpersonalized cookies for best experience. These cookies do not store any personal information. Facebook, - We have worked with the government and other stakeholders to increase demand for products since lockdowns have lifted. Heifer International: commonly perceived as a way to "give a cow to a poor family as a gift," but this is in fact a donor illusion -donations support Heifer International's general "agricultural assistance" activities. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. I still try to steer donors away from animal gifts towards less restrictive donations but it is good to see Heifer include this kind of information on their site. 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. Full Credit: The charity's audited financials were prepared by an independent accountant with an audit oversight committee. 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. Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc. This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us. Heifer International is a global development organization on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. Bothar had an income of 6 million in its last filed accounts while Heifer International's accounts show it had revenues of $120 million, according to its last annual report up to year end of. Donate Now. Gifts are deposited into various animal accounts, such as llama/alpaca, tree seedlings or bees. We have different accounts for every type of Heifer International animal. Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible. Heifer USA works with small-scale farmers in the United States to help them transform their communities through training and cooperatives. Thank you for letting us share this information with your readers. These alternative choices from Heifer International add a new dimension to giving, especially when the recipient promises to pass on their animal's first female offspring to a neighbor in need, multiplying the impact and the benefit. We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured. The same applies to charity organisations. This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves. Some children have even had to sleep in the barn with animals to prevent theft. No: This charity either does not have a written donor privacy policy in place to protect their contributors' personal information, or the existing policy does not meet our criteria. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years. We think the above charities are fairly representative of average charities in international aid. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A world without hunger and poverty where smallholder farmers can meet demand for food through climate-friendly farming practices. In Tanzania, evaluators found most partner families were initially undernourished, but within a couple years after receiving an animal, were able to maintain a healthy diet. Stated Mission . We make it easy with one tax-letter, gift card and present, but you may also choose to give directly to these groups or choose from our grants list. Staff members personal donations for giving season 2022, The winners of the Change Our Mind Contestand some reflections, Answering some questions about water quality programs, The Maximum Impact Fund is now the Top Charities Fund, Announcing the Change Our Mind Contest for critiques of our cost-effectiveness analyses. 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. Additionally, dairy production negatively impacts local communities with ripple effect consequences that ultimately disadvantage entire societies. 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. Many recipients of animal gifting programs struggle to provide even the most basic care to the animals they receive. However, I signed a nondisclosure agreement with Heifer that requires me not to disclose the contents of the evaluation. The issue is that apart from the question of impact there appears to be a deep and perhaps systemic issue with excessive executive compensation in the nonprofit sector which is most troubling as it relates to charitable organizations (because of the missions they have and who they serve). Our program staff also help to procure hard to get items. I donate my hard earned money to make change for the better not to make the well-off even richer. Heifer International is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. This organization's score of 93 is a passing score. But in reality, donations may not go toward the purchase of the selected animal. - Heifer Ecuador created a marketing and distribution network with producers and neighborhood collectives in the capital in charge of receiving the orders and delivering them door to door. These lawn alternatives are great for the environment, your wallet and your nose | Heifer International Animals Culture Food & Water From The Archives Newsworthy Equality Risk Mitigation & Resilience Insights & Analysis Work & Income Climate 3 Great-Smelling Lawn Alternatives That Will Save You and The Earth By Molly Mitchell October 22, 2019 All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Quoting from Heifer Internationals website, monies from any animal fund can be used where needed most.. As a result, the idea that Nike doesnt turn you into LeBron James is widely recognized. Specifically, the reasons below provide details about these concerns. 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' We have not found a livestock-distribution charity that has published either evidence of impact or clear answers to these 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. Simply enter the organization's name (Heifer International) or EIN (351019477) in the 'Search Term' field. Learn more about our criteria and methodology. Contact Email info@heifer.org. Animals must be provided food and water in areas where these resources are already scarce. The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. ), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Paper surveys, Case management notes, Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) 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). This ratio is an indicator of an organizations solvency and or long term sustainability. 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. We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place. This Charitable Organization is headquartered in Little Rock, AR. 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. Goal Two: Promote and support collective action and the formation of farmer groups and farmer owned cooperatives. Heifer . A global shift towards plant-based foods more efficiently uses crops and natural resources to nourish people and cool the climate. Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place. Dan West (1893-1971) was the founder of Heifer International, [1] a charitable organization dedicated to relieving hunger and poverty, as well as being involved in starting several other programs associated with the Church of the Brethren. I dont agree that the rules for executive compensation in the private sector which themselves have come under considerable scrutiny in the past year should apply to the nonprofit sector. 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? Investors in the private sector may consider executive pay when deciding whether or not to invest in a firm, but they are far more likely to consider the revenue of the business and its future prospects for profitability. 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. Your monthly donation to Heifer supports the international programs that need it most. Hold Illinois Governor Pritzker Accountable for his Huge New Investment in Animal Ag. ", examines the livestock sector as a primary driver of food insecurity and disparities, recalculates greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation from factory farms and grazing, highlights animal agriculture's harmful and interconnected impact on personal and planetary health. Progress on these projects slowed due to restrictions on movement of people and goods. This is in line with Heifer's plan of reaching 6 million smallholder farming households in Africa by 2030. Helping people is something to feel good about. Instead of using their food, water, topsoil, and massive amounts of land and energy to raise livestock, Ethiopia, for instance, could grow teff, an ancient and quite nutritious grain grown in that country for the past 20,000 to 30,000 years. It is now rather stale and heres a positive development: In the past 12 months, efforts have also been made to strengthen learning circles, with more tailored support provided based on needs identified by staff and their managers. 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. A Well-Fed World is an international hunger relief and food security organization advancing plant-based foods and farming to create a sustainable, nourished, and climate-friendly future. 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. See the metrics below for more information. Partial Credit: The charity's audited financials were prepared by an independent accountant, but it did not have an audit oversight committee. 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. The World Land Trust calls animal gifting programs madness environmentally unsound and economically disastrous, They conclude that now that the grave consequences of introducing large numbers of goats and other domestic animals into fragile, arid environments is well documented, WLT considers it grossly irresponsible to continue with these schemes as a means of raising quick money for charities over the Christmas season., Sean ONeill of the Times of London explains that animal gifting organizations are wooing the ethical shopper with pictures of cute goats wearing Christmas hats and promises of helping the poor in developing countries., But organizations such as the World Land Trust and Animal Aid deem that it is madness to send goats, cows and chickens to areas where they will add to the problems of drought and desertification.. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. Read More. GiveWell is devoted to finding charities in which we can have more confidence. Alternatives to Heifer International For the most part, people can do more good through direct action in their communities starting a community garden near you is more likely to help lift. Goal One: Support 10 million households to reach a living income by 2030. Founders Dan West. That isnt the issue I was raising. If the world is flat, that opens up many possibilities for doing things differently. The organization was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. 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.. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website, Gifts or grants to individuals (other than scholarships) (BMF activity code: 561), Foreign organization (BMF activity code: 911), Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15), Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).