Vehicle donations in America are operated in a wide variety of plans, ranging from highly organized and professional-grade not-for-profit, national, or local charities to scrap yards, haulers, tow-truck companies andsalvagers who establish programs that may support a charity.[4] According to Charity Navigator, the guidance of the rating agencies concerning car donation programs, where the charity receives a flat fee for the use of their name by a third party, versus program management by a third party,there are some questionable companies who contract to use a nonprofit’s agencies name and logo to raise funds and then just give them a flat fee unrelated to income or performance. This is frowned upon by rating agencies and the government. However, a percentage return program is viewed positively if the nonprofit receives more than 50% of the generated income.[5] Programs that engage a third party, but with a "cost maximum cap" involved, such as with national charities like the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, performance in this area is exemplary, with 70-80% on average being returned to the nonprofit.
