My wife insisted on donating to MJFF.. After a large donation, we started getting mail. Even after she requested they stop mailing stuff, we still got mail-Most recently a rather large and expensive piece-I don't like money being wasted on mailings, to make givers feel better. And now, after seeing the top two executives make about a million dollars, my money will continue to go elsewhere..

MJFF systematically provides receipts which say no goods or services were provided in exchange for donations which are actually made in exchange for live auction and silent auction items at events held by members of the Team Fox organization of the MJFF. They train and encourage people to say that all donations are tax-deductible even if goods and services are provided in quid pro quo exchange or for purchase of raffle tickets.
The Team Fox members are provided training and benefits by MJFF in order to encourage donations to the MJFF Foundation on behalf of their personal team. They are specifically told that all donations will be tax deductible. I sent in checks on behalf of a Team Fox member and sent documentation of the amount of goods and services that were provided in exchange for specific donations. I was among those getting a benefit (goods and services) for my donation and when I got the receipt saying I had not gotten any goods and services, I called to ask for a corrected receipt. After repeated calls and discussions with the CFO, and 2 others, they did not send an updated receipt and insisted that because the donations were made to them at events that were organized by their volunteers that they were legally correct in sending receipts showing no goods or services were exchanged. In this event the MJFF organization actually subsidized the cost of the dinner and sent 2 staff members to attend the dinner. So they observed the silent and live auction as well as the raffle. The program listed the value of goods and services and the silent auction sheets listed the value of goods and services. The values were reasonable. Checks to the MJFF were collected after the auctions and items were exchanged in a quid pro quo exchange. Raffle tickets were sold at the event and I believe that tax-deductible receipts were sent for those donations as well.
I was assured that the "false" receipts would not trigger an audit for the donors or event organizers, but I think it could jeopardize the non-exempt status and rating of the MJFF organization. My advice to MJFF: give true and accurate receipts showing value of goods and services. People will still support a good cause.

I've donated to the Michael J Fox Foundation in the past but sjipped a couple of years after some tough years for me and now I'm back donating. I understand the comments about salaries, but you have to put it into context. I just got through reviewing a few charities on this website that are paying the ceo of them almost a million dollars a year and past ceo's are still getting paid almost a million dollars a year. That said 400K seems like a bargain. Overall admin costs and expenses and the cost for fundraising seems to be in line which is why this website rates the Michael J Fox Foundation so well. I urge you to give it another look. Do a quick search for parkinson charities and you'll notice that only the Michael J Fox charity is rated four stars. Some of the OTHER Parkinson charities are spening 20-30% of the money they raise on fundraising and admin expenses and that's just ridiculous and I could not support them. According to great nonprofits website the Michael J Fox Foundation spends about 11% on fundraising and admin costs which to me is more then reasonable.

Both my wife and our oldest son are advanced Parkinson's Disease patients. Like Steve, I resent the enormous salaries paid to a supposedly non-profit organization. As a retired lawyer having represented both charitable trusts and foundations, I know that able and dedicated talent can be found at half the price being paid by the Michael J. Foundation.

Al George

I have a hard time wanting to donate to an non-profit organization where the 2 top workers make almost $1M. With 2 friends fighting Parkinsons, I think I'll donate elsewhere where the top workers work for much much less. I wonder why they call it a non-profit organization when someone is paid so much.