Disappointed Donors Increasingly Ask For — and Get — Refunds From Charities

For most people, giving money to charity feels great. Asking for the money back is a whole different story. Yet philanthropy experts say donors increasingly are doing just that: requesting “refunds” on gifts they feel have been misused, ignored or spent in a way that strays from their original reason for giving.

The ease of accessing financial data on the Internet, as well as a string of high-profile court battles involving donors seeking refunds, are behind the shift, experts say.