Announcing ... Trust But Verify
It’s what happens when a non-profit fundraiser turns journalist.
Non-profit organizations annually contribute $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy; they’re the nation’s third largest private employer.
And as far as influence goes, the non-profit sector punches way above its weight class.
Not only are there Big Philanthropy behemoths like the Rockefeller Foundation exerting global influence – but there are also entire categories of nonprofits, such as higher education, powerfully influencing society.
“So who’s minding the non-profit store? Turns out, almost no one.”
Despite their importance to the economy and culture, non-profit organizations get little press coverage and even less press scrutiny.
Because there aren’t stockholders demanding return on investment, nonprofits are more likely to fall into poor, and even negligent, management practices.
So who’s minding the non-profit store? Turns out, almost no one.
Well, that’s not entirely true.
Some nonprofits are unfairly targeted by government agents and so-called watchdog nonprofits. Remember Lois Lerner at the IRS? Those stories will be featured as well.
Whether they are mismanaged or unfairly blacklisted, non-profit organizations will be this publication’s focus.
This Is My Beat
Most of my career I was a major gift fundraiser at top-tier, non-profit universities and healthcare organizations.
But I’ve also spent time in the trenches, working with much smaller organizations that were struggling just to make their annual budgets. One of my first jobs was at a rural, private college that went bankrupt!
I’ve been a donor to charity, a staff member, a volunteer, a board member and officer, a consultant, and a recipient of charitable services. I’ve even been a non-profit whistleblower. I know the sector terrain and how things can go wrong.
In 2019, I made a career change and took a job as a news reporter/producer for a non-profit, Catholic media organization.
Like any nonprofit, it had its problems. In this case, the problems resulted in 30 percent of the staff being laid off. I was among the group cut.
However, I had acquired a number of new skills, and I discovered I really enjoyed reporting the news!
It just made sense to focus my investigative skills on what I knew best and where there was a gap in reporting — non-profit organizations.
What to Expect
Trust But Verify produces one major story per week on Thursdays. It may be an investigation, a longer feature article, or an in-depth analysis of a specific organization.
In-depth Feature Example: Michigan man takes a part-time job as a
door-to-door canvasser and finds himself accidentally infiltrating a radical,
social justice non-profit organization.
On Tuesdays, Trust But Verify aggregates news headlines from the nonprofit community with brief commentary on each story.
Headline Example: Project Veritas Sues James O’Keefe for Breach of Contract
You’ll find off-topic articles and commentary included on occasion, but they’ll be clearly labeled as “off topic” so you’ll have the option to see what’s captured my attention or ignore it.
Off-Topic Example: Why Republicans might vote for RFK Jr.
Notes draw your attention to things I’m not yet ready to write about (and may never write about) but I think might be of interest. Notes might also pose a question asking for feedback or put forward a survey.
Notes Example: Do you believe fundraisers who are personally generous raise more
money than those who aren’t? Yes. No. Tell us more . . .
TO BE CLEAR, Trust But Verify is NOT itself a non-profit organization. It is a sole proprietorship.
When you subscribe, you’re telling America’s nonprofits that you’re watching and holding them accountable. Same message for government regulators and so-called watchdog nonprofits unfairly targeting other nonprofits – you’re watching!
Trust But Verify’s subscription is set at the lowest level Substack will allow — $5 per month.
Except for Notes, which is a feature unique to Substack, all of Trust But Verify’s content can be read … free of charge … on my website kristinechristlieb.com.
My purpose is to promote accountability and transparency in the non-profit sector, so naturally, I want as many people as possible to have access to my stories.
Investigations are particularly expensive because they are time-consuming; but count on me to use my open source research skills to do as much as I can, as quickly and thoroughly as I can, from my computer. But in some cases, probably in most cases, there’s nothing like being physically in the middle of story to make the reporting come alive with photos and video.
When you subscribe, you get:
News stories about educational institutions, hospitals, churches, museums, think tanks, and the like, that are all nonprofit organizations and have significant influence. Stories you won’t find in the mainstream media.
Commentary and advice on savvy giving to charity.
Commentary and advice to charitable organizations and fundraisers.
My focused attention when you send tips and questions. Uncomfortable about a fundraising technique? Ask me about it! Think an organization is fishy? Suggest it for investigation!
Opportunity to comment on my reporting and join a community of enlightened fundraisers, donors, volunteers, staff, and board members who want to clean up Dodge City, or, in this case, the nonprofit sector.
Consider sending a gift subscription to the executive director of your favorite charity or a family member who works for a charity. If you’re a board member, recommend to other board members that they subscribe.
Warm regards,
Kristine Christlieb
Excellent!