The International Dance Council CID receives often complaints regarding events proposed by organizations claiming national or international status.

  The following checklist has been compiled to help distinguish between real and fictitious non-profit organizations.

1.  Does the “organization” have a legal status, offices, salaried staff, a budget, a bank account, a long history?

2.  Is it accredited by government agencies or independent authorities?

3.  Who are its leaders, do they have sufficient credentials, have they been elected by a General Assembly, how many members voted?

4.  Ask for printed material and signed documents to be mailed to you. Do not rely on email messages or websites, especially when they do not feature names, phone numbers and street addresses, not PO boxes.

5.  Check their website for a legal office address, names and addresses of elected officers, past activities, list of active members. Check its visits counter.

6.  Ask: Are they open to new voting members? What are their resources? How do they cover office expenses?

7.  Remember:

–  Anyone can found his own “organization” with an impressive name, a website and ambitious goals – there is no law against it.

–  There are many so-called organizations that are actually a disguised business run by a single person operating from his home.

–  Very few organizations claiming international status have a large number of members, official recognition, democratically elected officers and employees to operate a real secretariat.

–  Many business companies deceive customers by calling them “members”; members vote for their leadership, customers don’t.

8.  Titles (diplomas, certificates, prizes, degrees, championships etc.) issued by private organizations do not have legal value unless recognized by state agencies.

9.  Before registering for an event (festival, workshop, competition etc.) check if it is organized by a competent organization with a legal address. Ask for a receipt of payment.

10. Read about fraudulent conference announcements in the website of the Union of International Associations:    www.uia.be/node/46358

  Ask embarrassing questions, real organizations are not afraid of them.