Though misunderstood at first, Doctors Without Borders’ bold decision to stop accepting tsunami-relief donation could help revive public trust in nonprofits.

By Paul Barbagallo

“We tend to skew a little bit younger: 23 percent of our donors are under the age of 50, and an additional 25 percent are between 50 and 60 years old,” says Fiona Walsh, marketing director for MSF, commenting on the 700,000 strong who contribute via direct mail. “Our donor base has an almost even ratio of men versus women, and our supporters tend to live in more urban areas, although we do have broad support from across the United States.”