Treasury Issues New “Anti-terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities”

September 29, 2006

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today issued a new version of the “Anti-terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities. The “Guidelines” were originally issued in November 2002 and revised in December 2005 to assist charitable organizations in complying with Executive Order 13224 and the USA Patriot Act following 9/11. The new Guidelines may be accessed here: Revised Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-based Charities

The Treasury Department also released today a document responding to public comments it received during the comment period following the release of the second version of the Guidelines in December 2005. This document may be accessed here: Response to Comments Submitted on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-Based Charities (PDF)

These comments include a submission by the Treasury Guidelines Working Group, a broadly representative group of more than 40 U.S. charities, foundations, religious organizations, corporations, umbrella associations, watchdog groups and advisors, created in the spring of 2004 and coordinated by the Council on Foundations. In February 2006, the Treasury Guidelines Working Group submitted comments in response to the invitation for public comments on the revised “Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-based Charities” issued on December 5, 2005. Download the comments (PDF).

The group developed the Principles of International Charity (PDF) that identifies eight principles to guide the anti-terrorism efforts of charities. The Principles of International Charity were submitted to the Treasury Department in March, 2005.