If I donate £100 to the Haiti funds what percentage would be eaten up in

50% percent and 49% would be nicked by the government.

what do you think administration means?

don't know, please explain.

well neither do i but its all too easy to assume admin means it going into some companies back pocket but i think admin genuinely means paying for warehouse costs of relief supplies, paying for staff to coordinate logistics etc.

Don't be too cynical imo.

and staff and directors salaries?
some people will be rubbing their hands with glee at this disaster for the simple reason they will get rich.

I will still give something

If you go to The Red Cross site, there is a breakdown of where the money goes, although it was a fecker to find it! Looks like about 2/3 goes on direct aid. How much goes on Admin depends on what you count as Admin.

Thats the problem. A lot of wage costs which used to be classified as administration are now included in "support costs" for the benefit of the beneficiaries.

No real answer other than give what you can afford and use gift aid.

we could load all the snow onto ships and by the time it gets there it'll be fresh water.........

I'm glad you raised this because I'm trying to find that out too. I want to send a chunk, but have the same concerns. Please repost if you find anything.

All the charities involved have high admin costs (Oxfam is prop the worst in the world for this) but i would have thought they absorb it in this situation but you can't be sure.

Goring.

Get the full accounts and have a close look at the breakdown of support costs in the notes. That's about the best I can suggest.

See

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:OK23dH21KGIJ:www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp%3Fid%3D48370+redcross,+administration+costs&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk