13. If I donate to the Dulles Research Institute, how can I be sure that my money will be properly used?

The Dulles Research Institute is scrupulously committed to ensuring that every dollar donated is used in support of its mission. To this end, the DRI has put the following safeguards in place.

Professional Financial Management

No officer, director, employee, or volunteer of the Dulles Research Institute has any direct control of the organization’s funds. The DRI has engaged a professional accounting and financial services firm to perform accounting services.

Mailed donations are sent directly to the accounting firm, so they are accounted for before anyone in the DRI has access to them. Donations made online or through electronic transfer are deposited directly into the DRI’s account, where they are similarly accounted for. The DRI’s bills are paid by the accounting firm, which handles disbursements only in line with a budget that has been approved by the Dulles Research Institute’s full Board of Directors, including the designation of restricted funds. The accounting firm, which specializes in the financial needs of nonprofit organizations, employs procedures which meet strict GAAP accounting standards. Meanwhile, the DRI Treasurer monitors the organization’s accounts, supervises the work of the accounting firm, and makes regular reports to the DRI’s full Board of Directors. With these systems in place to guard against financial mismanagement, you can be sure that your donations to the DRI are always being used only for their intended purpose.

Reporting and oversight

The Dulles Research Institute is designated as a tax-exempt public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and a nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of Michigan. Therefore, the DRI has reporting obligations to both the IRS and the State of Michigan. In accord with IRS requirements, the DRI is committed to arranging for annual audits conducted by a certified, independent accounting firm.

Beyond these legal and regulatory requirements, the Dulles Research Institute is committed to transparency with regard to its fiscal management. To this end, the DRI’s annual report, published to this website, will always include a full financial accounting.