Charity

The overhead ratio is commonly used when deciding whether or not to donate to a particular charity. But judging activity versus administrative costs may not be the best way to determine a group's effectiveness. Ashley Milne-Tyte reports.

Philanthropy consultant Lucy Bernholz talks with Kai Ryssdal about the top charity-related buzzwords of 2009, a year in which she says necessity was the mother of social innovation.

Supply, funding and price are some of the big challenges facing programs feeding needy Americans. How can food assistance groups overcome these obstacles? Steve Chiotakis talks to Betsy Zeidman of the Milken Institute.

A food pantry in Philadelphia has found a new way to distribute its goods to the hungry. Designed like a 7-11, clients can walk through the store with a grocery cart and accumulate whatever will fit in the basket. Joel Rose reports.

Food pantries have seen demand at record highs this year while donations have dwindled. But some help has come from people who, instead of donating money, have provided the fruits of their labor. Caitlan Carroll reports.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced that well-known charity the United Homeless Organization is a fraud. The news could have a chilling effect on donations to legitimate groups. Amy Scott reports.

Some economists say giving gifts just doesn't make sense. Joel Waldfogel, author of "Scroogenomics," talks with Kai Ryssdal about how the idea is fraught with value destruction.

Stacy Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, talks with Bill Radke about how a 9% decline in giving this year will cut into the work charities are doing.

It's becoming more common for grocery store shoppers to be asked to contribute to charities while they're in the check-out line. Those small contributions can add up for worthy causes, but there are hidden costs involved. Michael May reports.