September 30, 2011

Dear Fellow Pennsylvanians:

On behalf of the Department of State, I am pleased to present the 2011 Annual Report for the Bureau of Charitable Organizations. This report provides an overview of the Bureau, its accomplishments over the past year, as well as helpful information for consumers making charitable-giving decisions.

The Bureau’s mission is to protect Pennsylvania residents by: (1) providing public disclosure of documents filed by charities and professional fundraisers, (2) providing consumer education, and (3) investigating and prosecuting complaints for reporting violations and fraudulent diversion of charitable funds.

The Bureau provides a wealth of useful information for consumers and for charities on the Department of State’s website. Consumers can access the site’s searchable database of registered charities to confirm whether a particular charity is registered or find information about how to file a complaint and links to other educational resources.

 Charities and fundraising professionals can use the Web site to learn about their registration and filing responsibilities, access registration materials, and get links to state laws and outside resources.

This and previous annual reports are available on the Bureau's Web site.  If you have any questions about state laws governing charities, or wish to report a fraudulent or deceptive solicitation practice, please contact the Bureau of Charitable Organizations at 1-800-732-0999, or at www.dos.state.pa.us/charities .

Thank you for your interest in the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Bureau of Charitable Organizations.

Sincerely,

Carol Aichele

Secretary of the Commonwealth