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The role of rating agencies in the market for charitable contributions: An empirical test

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  • Gordon, Teresa P.
  • Knock, Cathryn L.
  • Neely, Daniel G.

Abstract

Rating agencies play the role of information intermediaries in the market for donations. These watchdog organizations obtain and interpret accounting data and other information about charitable organizations and report ratings to help donors select among the many organizations soliciting contributions. In the age of the internet, information from Internal Revenue Service Form 990 returns prepared by tax-exempt organizations is more readily accessible than ever before. This study examines whether the zero- to four-star ratings provided by Charity Navigator have additional information content for donors. Charity Navigator was selected because its rating system relies almost exclusively on the 990 returns and presumably adds value by incorporating peer-group expectations for various ratios and by presenting straightforward and concise data. Using a random sample of 405 charities rated by Charity Navigator, our results suggest that rating changes do impact contributions. Positive rating changes were associated with an increase in contributions and organizations with a decline in rating were associated with decreased contributions. These effects were in addition to what would be predicted using an efficiency ratio commonly computed from Form 990 accounting data and other control variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Gordon, Teresa P. & Knock, Cathryn L. & Neely, Daniel G., 2009. "The role of rating agencies in the market for charitable contributions: An empirical test," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 469-484, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jappol:v:28:y::i:6:p:469-484
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    Cited by:

    1. Mauro Sciarelli & Mario Tani & Giovanni Landi & Lorenzo Turriziani, 2020. "CSR perception and financial performance: Evidences from Italian and UK asset management companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 841-851, March.
    2. Katinka Cranenburgh & Daniel Arenas, 2014. "Strategic and Moral Dilemmas of Corporate Philanthropy in Developing Countries: Heineken in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 523-536, July.
    3. Jonathan Oxley, 2021. "Does Additional Mandatory Reporting Alter Charity or Donor Behavior?---Examining the 2006 Pension Protection Act," Working Papers wp2021_01_02, Department of Economics, Florida State University.
    4. Christine L. Exley, 2020. "Using Charity Performance Metrics as an Excuse Not to Give," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(2), pages 553-563, February.
    5. Paskalev, Zdravko & Yildirim, Huseyin, 2017. "A theory of outsourced fundraising: Why dollars turn into “Pennies for Charity”," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 1-18.
    6. Hofmann, Mary Ann & McSwain, Dwayne, 2013. "Financial disclosure management in the nonprofit sector: A framework for past and future research," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 61-87.
    7. Elka Johansson & Peter Carey & George Tanewski & Iliyas Yusoff, 2022. "The effect of members on charities’ annual reporting: evidence from companies limited by guarantee in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1851-1886, April.
    8. Barış K. Yörük, 2016. "Charity Ratings," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 195-219, March.
    9. Jade Wong & Andreas Ortman, 2013. "Do Donors Care About the Price of Giving? A Review of the Evidence, with Some Theory to Organize It," Discussion Papers 2013-22, School of Economics, The University of New South Wales.
    10. Jones, Daniel B., 2017. "Too much information? An experiment on communication and cooperation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 29-39.
    11. Erica E. Harris & Daniel G. Neely & Gregory D. Saxton, 2023. "Social media, signaling, and donations: testing the financial returns on nonprofits’ social media investment," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 658-688, June.
    12. Brown, Alexander L. & Meer, Jonathan & Williams, J. Forrest, 2017. "Social distance and quality ratings in charity choice," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 9-15.
    13. Gross, Andrew & Neely, Daniel Gordon, 2014. "The role of the paid preparer in nonprofit reporting quality," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 55-66.
    14. Phillips Susan D., 2019. "Putting Humpty Together Again: How Reputation Regulation Fails the Charitable Sector," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 10(4), pages 1-11, December.
    15. Oxley, Jonathan, 2022. "Does additional mandatory reporting alter charity or donor behavior? Examining the 2006 Pension Protection Act," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 738-751.
    16. Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2014. "Donating Money to Get Money: The Role of Corporate Philanthropy in Stakeholder Reactions to IPOs," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(7), pages 1118-1152, November.
    17. Laura E. Grant, 2021. "Does the introduction of ratings reduce giving? Evidence from charities," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(3), pages 978-995, July.
    18. Raphael Duguay, 2022. "The Economic Consequences of Financial Audit Regulation in the Charitable Sector," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 1463-1498, September.
    19. Lin Zhijun & Li Ying, 2020. "Examining the Relationship between Different Types of Information Disclosure of Foundations and Chinese Donations," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 11(3), pages 1-21, October.
    20. Dominic Cyr & Suzanne Landry & Anne Fortin, 2022. "Management of Charitable Program Expense Ratios in the Charity Sector," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(1), pages 106-123, March.
    21. Gregory D. Saxton & Daniel G. Neely, 2019. "The Relationship Between Sarbanes–Oxley Policies and Donor Advisories in Nonprofit Organizations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 333-351, August.
    22. Mitchell George E. & Calabrese Thad D., 2020. "Instrumental Philanthropy, Nonprofit Theory, and Information Costs," Nonprofit Policy Forum, De Gruyter, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, July.
    23. Manuel Foerster & Joel (J.J.) van der Weele, 2018. "Persuasion, justification and the communication of social impact," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 18-067/I, Tinbergen Institute.

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