Where can I find out what the 'watchdogs' are looking at?

Summary:

The National Council of Nonprofit Organizations and the National Human Service Assembly reviewed the work of five organizations that rate charities in 2005.

The full study is online at http://www.ncna.org/_uploads/documents/live//Rating%20the%20Raters.pdf

The study covers

American Institute of Philanthropy

http://www.charitywatch.org/

BBB Wise Giving Alliance

http://www.give.org

Charity Navigator

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

Standards for Excellence Institute created by Maryland Nonprofits

http://www.standardsforexcellenceinstitute.org/

the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)

http://www.opm.gov/cfc/

(The report explains that the CFC is included because "it identifies standards a nonprofit group must meet in order to solicit donations (via the CFC)
from federal employees.")

Extensive tables in the report present details -- so far as they could be determined -- about the standards, procedures and administration used by those organizations.

As the report explains, there are other 'watchdog' groups that cover more limited territory. The Charities Review Council in Minnesota (http://www.crcmn.org/) provides information on organizations that are active in that state. The Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability (http://www.ecfa.org) certifies the financial reporting of evangelical ministries.