Report on Charitable Organizations in Mississippi ERIC CLARK October 2005 Secretary of State STATE OF MISSISSIPPI A Message from the Secretary of State Dear Fellow Mississippians, We have a nationally renowned reputation for our generosity here in Mississippi, often ranking number one in the nation when it comes to supporting charities. That’s why we at the Secretary of State’s Office think it’s important to provide you with this, the 2005 edition of the Report on Charitable Organizations in Mississippi. We want you to be able to make informed choices when you contribute to charitable organizations. And, we’ve worked with the charity community to give you a clear and accurate picture of our state’s charitable organizations’ financial activity for their most recent fiscal year. The Council of Better Business Bureaus suggests that reasonable use of charitable funds requires that: At least sixty-five percent (65%) of total expenses is spent on program activities directly related to the organization’s purposes; and Fundraising costs do not exceed thirty-five percent (35%) of related contributions. An organization not meeting one or more of these percentage limitations should provide evidence to demonstrate that its use of funds is reasonable. Higher fundraising and administrative costs of a bingo charity or a newly created organization, donor restrictions on the use of funds, exceptional bequests, a stigma associated with a cause, and environmental or political events beyond an organization’s control are among the factors which may result in costs that are reasonable, although they do not meet these percentage limitations. Please call my office at (601) 359-1350 or (888) 236-6167 if you have any questions or comments about this report or any other charities issue. Thank you for your support of Mississippi’s charities. Sincerely, ERIC CLARK Secretary of State Mississippi Secretary of State Charities Report as of June 30, 2005 Table of Contents Page Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Donor Tips ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Section I – Registered Charities in Mississippi............................................................................................................................. 5 Column Key …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….7 Alphabetical Listing of Financial Information for Registered Charities…………………………………………………………………………………………...9 Alphabetical Listing of Contact Information for Registered Charities…………………………………………………………………………………………....75 Section II – Registered Charities with Gaming Operations in Mississippi............................................................................ 163 Dual Registration Narrative…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ...165 Column Key ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..166 Alphabetical Listing of Financial Information for Registered Charities with Gaming Operations……………………………………………………………...169 Alphabetical Listing of Contact Information for Registered Charities with Gaming Operations………………………………………………………………. 173 Section III – Exempt Charities in Mississippi........................................................................................................................... 175 Statutory Exemptions Narrative………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….177 Alphabetical Listing of Contact Information for Exempt Charities……………………………………………………………………………………………...179 ERIC CLARK Secretary of State Introduction STATUTORY AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Secretary of State has the statutory responsibility of protecting citizens by enforcing Mississippi’s charitable solicitation laws. State law requires organizations intending to solicit charitable donations from Mississippi citizens to register with the Secretary of State. Solicitation includes any oral or written request, however communicated, whether directly or indirectly, for a contribution. Bona fide, duly constituted religious institutions are not required to register or file exemption forms with the Secretary of State’s Office. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT In carrying out the responsibility of protecting citizens, the Secretary of State’s Office requires all charities to submit certain financial information for review each year. This report provides a summary of the financial information on file with the Secretary of State as of June 30, 2005. Pursuant to state law, all charitable organizations’ registration and financial documents are public record available to all citizens. This report was prepared to inform the citizens of Mississippi about how their contributions and other funds are being used, and to assist them in making informed decisions when contributing to charitable organizations. This report is not intended as an endorsement or criticism of any particular organization. In addition, registration by a charitable organization with the Secretary of State does not constitute an endorsement or approval by the State of Mississippi. This report includes the following sections: Section I – Registered Charities in Mississippi This section provides basic information on registered charities in Mississippi (excluding exempt charitable organizations). This section is divided into two sub-sections. The first sub-section provides certain financial information of each charity, and the second sub-section lists contact information including organizational name, address, and telephone number. A charitable organization’s financial information may be excluded from this report for the following reasons: 1) The organization’s registration lapsed and was not renewed prior to the annual expiration date; or 2) The organization sent in a registration or renewal without all of the required documents; therefore, registration is incomplete at the time of publication. Continued on next page Page 1 ERIC CLARK Secretary of State Section II – Registered Charities with Gaming Operations in Mississippi This section provides basic information on charities having gaming operations (Bingo) in Mississippi (excluding exempt charitable organizations). This section is reported separately due to specific laws and regulations governing the charitable gaming aspects of these organizations. Divided into two sub-sections, the first includes certain financial information, as that reported elsewhere in this report, and the second provides contact information including organizational name, address, and telephone number. Financial information, provided by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, is also included for the gaming operations associated with the charity. Additional explanation of financial information for charities with gaming operations is included due to the special circumstances of their reporting. The charitable organization’s financial information may be excluded from this report for the following reasons: 1) The organization’s registration lapsed and was not renewed prior to the annual expiration date; or 2) The organization sent in a registration or renewal without all of the required documents; therefore, registration is incomplete at the time of publication. Section III – Exempt Charities in Mississippi This section provides basic information on charitable organizations that are exempt from state registration pursuant to Miss. Code Ann., § 79-11-505 (1972). This section lists for each organization its name, address, and telephone number. Exempt organizations, as enumerated by statute, are: (a) Accredited educational institutions; (b) Fraternal, patriotic, social, educational, alumni organizations, and historical societies who use only their memberships to solicit contributions; (c) Persons who are soliciting contributions for specified individuals in need, if the solicitations are made solely by persons who are unpaid; (d) Organizations which do not intend to solicit or receive and do not actually receive more than $4,000 in contributions per year; (e) Organizations which receive allocations from registered united funds or community chests and receive less than $4,000 from other sources; (f) All volunteer fire departments and rescue units which are chartered as nonprofit organizations by the State of Mississippi; (g) Any humane society which contracts with counties or municipalities for the care and keeping of strays; and (h) Any other organization which the Secretary of State by rule or order exempts from the registration requirements. Page 2 ERIC CLARK Secretary of State Donor Tips – Investigate Before You Give The wisest giver is an informed giver. You give to a charity because you want to make a difference. And you want to make sure your hard-earned charitable contributions are spent in the most efficient, effective way possible. That is why the Secretary of State’s Office recommends that you ask questions before you give. Often, callers soliciting contributions are not volunteers, but rather professional fundraisers. These paid telemarketers are required to identify themselves under our charities law. In all cases, you should ask how much of every dollar raised goes to the charity. Never be afraid to ask for information in writing. If asked, the professional charity telemarketer must immediately inform you of the percentage of money that actually goes to the charity. In