What does the BBB say about Priests for Life?

With all the controversy surrounding Priests for Life right now, I thought it might be interesting to see what the Better Business Bureau Charity Review has to say about them.

The BBB looks at how charities run, where the money goes, and whether or not the agencies operate efficiently.   They can tell you, for example, how much of each dollar goes to programs.

What did it have to say about Priests for Life?

Despite written BBB Wise Giving Alliance requests in the past year, this organization either has not responded to Alliance requests for information or has declined to be evaluated in relation to the Alliance’s Standards for Charity Accountability. While participation in the Alliance’s charity review efforts is voluntary, the Alliance believes that failure to participate may demonstrate a lack of commitment to transparency. Without the requested information, the Alliance cannot determine if this charity adheres to the Standards for Charity Accountability. A charity’s willing disclosure of information beyond that typically included in its financial statements and government filings is, in the Alliance’s view, an expression of openness that strengthens public trust in the charitable sector.

Out of curiosity, I checked another place, Charity Navigator, which had a little more information, though the most recent year available is 2008.

It noted that 63.9% of money raised went to programs.  23.4% went to administration.  And 12.5% went to fundraising.  PFL got a very low efficiency rating of one star.