Wounded Warriors Project called out on financial shenanigans

[Windwalker]

Indiana veterans charity sued for calling out Wounded Warriors Project on financial shenanigans
http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=10131

Wounded Warriors Project, the scoundrels who are eager to raise money from gun owners but who don’t want to be associated or affiliated with gun owners or their charities (see stories one- http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=3467 , two- http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=3434 , three- http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=3456) , is busy detailing their legal team to attack a small Indiana veterans charity who dared call out WWP on their financial shenanigans.

Help Indiana Veterans is a small non-profit in Indiana that dedicates itself to assisting veterans in Indiana.  100% of their net monies goes to assisting veterans.  They don’t have a single paid staff member.  In fact, founders Dean and Patricia Graham have spent thousands of their own money in addition to donations to assist Hoosier veterans in need.

Contrast that with Wounded Warriors Project, who paid their head guy Steve Nardizzi nearly $350,000 in salary and benefits in 2011.  WWP paid over $2 million in salaries and other compensation to Nardizzi and nine other big-shots that year as well.  All told, Wounded Warriors might be better renamed Well-paid Office Warriors as they paid – are you sitting down? – over $21 million to their staff in 2011.

$21 million dollars to staff.

$21 million.  (Here’s the WWP 2011 tax return http://www.gunssavelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/wwp-900-fy-2012.pdf ).

And how much did they give away in grants in 2011?

Barely $5.5 million dollars – on an income of $148 million.

Does that sound like reasonable and ordinary expenses to you?

It didn’t to Dean Graham who called Wounded Warriors Project “a fraud” (be sure to read the comments section!) and is now being sued by Nardizzi and his well-compensated crew:

    INDIANAPOLIS (Fox59) – A national nonprofit group that pulls in more than $150 million annually for veterans has sued local group Help Indiana Vets.

    The lawsuit stems from a post on the Help Indiana Vets website, alleging national program Wounded Warrior Project is “a fraud.”

    Dean Graham, who founded Help Indiana Vets and posted the article, said he was shocked to hear he’s being sued.

    “I think they’re trying to shut me up,” Graham said.

    Graham’s allegations are that Wounded Warrior Project does not donate a majority of its profits directly to veterans in need. His article has been re-posted on Facebook and led to emails sent by former donors to the national group.

    In the lawsuit, attorneys for the Wounded Warrior Project argue that Graham’s post violates its trademark infringement and has cost it more than $75,000.

    “(Graham’s) false and misleading statements alleged herein have deceived many WWP supporters and have caused a number of WWP supporters to cancel their ongoing donations to WWP,” the lawsuit said.

Tom Gresham summed it up nicely when he advised people not to support Wounded Warriors Project.  We agree with him.

We don’t support Wounded Warriors Project.  Are they a “fraud” and “scam”?  That’s up to you.

Do you want to give your money to a so-called veterans assistance organization that spends a couple of pennies on every dollar you donate, or do you want to donate to local groups who spend nearly 100% of every donated dollar to the intended cause?

If you want most of your money to serve veterans, don’t give to Wounded Warriors project.

And tell your friends.

[Whitpirate]

Not the first word I have heard about WWP

[iusmc2002]

They didn't start out to donate money.  They started out trying to give wounded American warriors clothes and socks, necessities and a few comforts when they arrived at Landstuhl with nothing but what they were med-evac'd from a theater with.  They've exploded since then. 
They do a LOT of lobbying in DC for every issue involving vets, but especially wounded ones.  As we all know, that takes a lot of money...  To get things done in DC, you need money.  They put on retreats all over the country for wounded warriors, trying to help heal them by getting them outside and getting them active.  All at no cost to the vets.  Someone has to pay for that.  It's very encouraging to go to a WWP event and have most of the gear used be donated by companies/groups local to the event because they want to help and sometimes it takes a big name to get things like that going.  Lots of people want to help vets, but don't know how, and big groups like WWP make it easy for them to contribute.  I've heard stories about how well their exec's and directors are paid, but they get stuff done for vets, and that's what matters

[actionshooter]

 I have read about WWP financial issues and a high percentage of money going to the "employees and expenses", I have no facts so its hearsay.

 I do have a fact though, WWP project was contacted to be the recipient of a charity 3-gun match that I was involved with. They stated that they did not want to be associated with firearms, PERIOD.
 I won't have anything to do with WWP because I feel they don't represent American values.
 The $2000 (roughly) that was raised for veterans was sent to Homes For Heroes.

[Karl Blanchard]

We contacted them about raising money for them when my dad did his ride and they wanted us to PAY THEM to put a link on their website so people could DONATE TO THEM in Aaron's name!  We said thanks but no thanks!  Fischer House and USO put a link on their websites free of charge and USO even showed up at most of his stops along the way.   Not saying they don't do some good but they have become to big for their britches in my opinion.

[j_h_nimrod]

A group I have worked with wanted to hold a function and donate the proceeds from the event to the WWP but found out the could not associate their event with WWP in any way without fulfilling a number of prerequisites. It turned out to be such a hassle that the plans were canceled. It seems like the WWP has moved from a charitable organization to a political machine.

[Special T]

Non Profits are one area that is expanding  a bunch. When you look at all the regulation at actually producing anything non profits can actually be quite profitable if you know how to structure it.

The quality of a non profit is a little subjective. I personally think a all volunteer effort makes ME feel better, however there is some efficiency in trying to accomplish a good deed in a business model.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12842#.UqccsuKYyqU

[pianoman9701]

There are non-profits that don't pay their top guys very much and those who pay a lot. The Major for the Salvation Army makes something like $20K/year. The head of Goodwill Industries makes something like $400K.

There are different reasons for paying the top guy a lot of money. In some organizations, the person who started the organization decides they want a big paycheck for no other reason than they started it. Some organizations need the best fundraisers available and pay for them. This ends up making the non-profit much more money that they might have paying nothing to someone who doesn't know squat about fund-raising. I'm not sure what the reason is at the WWP, but it seems to be a very large organization serving many service men and women.