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One year since launching the Muslim Charities Accreditation Program with the Better Business Bureau, Muslim Advocates announced this week the first nonprofits to receive the prestigious recognition – the Chicago-based Inner-City Muslim Action Network, Bay Area-based Islamic Network Groups and the LA-based UMMA Community Clinic. The accreditation program works to ensure best practices among Muslim charities.
The announcement comes at the beginning of Ramadan, a sacred month for Muslims who abstain from food and water from dawn to dusk and historically increase in their charitable giving during this time.
The Muslim Charities Accreditation Program is unique in its depth, scope and audience, which is the American Muslim nonprofit sector. The technical and legal guidance it provides Muslim charities is meant to promote best practices in management and regulation compliance.
The unique partnership Muslim Advocates formed with the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance last year was a response to the increased difficulty many American donors faced after 9/11, when federal regulations governing charitable giving in the United States and abroad became more complicated and confusing. For many charities, including American Muslim organizations, there was much uncertainty as to what was required in the giving process and to whom it was acceptable to donate resources. Many Muslim nonprofits saw a drop in donations and some were even shut down, resulting in a chilling effect on charitable giving – a core pillar of the Islamic tradition.
To date, the Muslim Charities Accreditation Program has provided assistance to over 150 charitable organizations and conducted seminars in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The next seminar will take place in Houston in October.
To learn more, visit www.muslimadvocates.org.
Posted August 27, 2009
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