The ASPCA Responds to Accusations of Questionable Fundraising

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Friday, 21 December 2001

Denies activities in report by the office of New York State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) denies that it engages in direct fundraising activities that would be deemed unprofitable, as reported in "The 2000 Pennies for Charity Report" released by the New York State Attorney General's office earlier this week.

"It is true that telemarketing can be an expensive way to fundraise, and that is why the ASPCA only uses it with fundraising programs that have a proven payback. Of the 22 million plus solicitations the ASPCA makes each year, only 12,900 are telephone solicitations," explains Jo Sullivan, Director of Direct Marketing.

"The 2000 Pennies for Charity Report" only takes into account the donation that is made at the time of telephone solicitation. It fails to recognize that there can be an establishment of long-term giving as a result of a telemarketing call. For example, the ASPCA uses telemarketing most frequently with a group of members called "Guardian Members" who pledge monthly gifts via their checking account or credit cards. These members donate on a monthly basis throughout a period of years. "The 2000 Pennies for Charity" report does not take into account all of the subsequent donations throughout the year that a Guardian Member would make when calculating the profitability of the telemarketing campaign. It only measures the costs against a one-time gift that is not reflective of the program at all.

"No matter how funds are solicited, there is always a cost associated with fundraising", said ASPCA President and CEO Dr. Larry Hawk. "We try to be as efficient a charity as possible. The ASPCA is a private not-for-profit that was founded in 1866 and relies exclusively on individual and corporate donations for funding. The ASPCA will continue to keep the net cost associated with fundraising to the lowest possible minimum so donations can go where we need it the most, directly to programming that affects the welfare of animals."

For more information, or to contact American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, see their website at: www.aspca.org