I don't know if I would qualify under emerson1966's criteria as an expert, but I have been a consistent donor since 1985 and serve on the Board of Trustees for a regional non-fo-profit dedicated to welfare of senior citizens, am Secretary and member of the Executive, Finance and Co-Chair of the Employee/Volunteer Complaints Committee. I also own two private businesses.

If you dig into the data Charity Navigator, Christian Appalachian Project scores very well for a small to medium sized charity. Their percentages of revenues spent on administration and promotions (for donations) are relatively low - a very good sign. They also score highly on transparency, another key variable prospective donors should review. They should be commended, not criticized for substituting volunteers for paid employees - it gives you a much larger "bang for the buck."