Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday, the completion of Charitable University, also known as CharitableU, is now mandatory for nonprofits who want to seek grant money from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to promote organizations to be fraud-free this year.
According to Yost, CharitableU is a new training and accountability tool for Ohio charity organizations. The program ensures that they run their companies properly and prevent the squandering of crucial donations due to incompetence, carelessness, or fraud.
Yost said his office intends this online learning platform to inform charity board members of their legal responsibilities and the best ways to manage their organizations.
“Every time an Ohioan gives money to charity, he or she is performing an act of faith. We want to make sure that board members and charity leaders are faithful stewards of the money they receive,” Yost said.
When users sign up for the CharitableU system, they can access a number of quick webinars, and other tools that Yost said are essential for effective leadership.
Board governance, financial operations, internal controls, files and record-keeping, and fundraising are the “pillars” that the platform training covers. Throughout the year, the attorney general’s office will add more webinars to each CharitableU curriculum pillar.
One hundred fifty charity leaders in Knox and Defiance counties participated in live training sessions in November 2022 as a trial for the CharitableU curriculum. The attorney general’s office created the curriculum to assist small and large organizations.
The attorney general anticipates the majority of CharitableU students will complete the course online. Students can arrange for live training by emailing [email protected].
Users of CharitableU receive certificates for finishing each module of training. Certificates expire after three years due to the ongoing evolution of laws and best practices. The attorney general’s office will regularly update resources and training materials. The attorney general’s website will mention those who successfully finish CharitableU as a public acknowledgment of their dedication to learning how to be responsible stewards of their organizations.
According to Yost, this tool will make it easier for charity leaders to do their jobs well and ensure they use all resources strictly for important charitable projects.
“I would love all charities to take a pledge to be fraud-free in 2023. Following the best practices outlined in Charitable University is a good first step in honoring that pledge and ensuring that all resources are used exclusively for critical charitable programs,” Yost said.
Each year, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office manages more than 60,000 active nonprofits with total assets exceeding $300 billion. The attorney general’s office Charitable Law section is tasked with upholding standards, enforcing transparency and accountability, and holding dishonest actors accountable in order to ensure public trust in the nonprofit sector.
– – –
Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
