Report: America's Worst Charities

When you donate to a charity, you assume that most of your money will go toward the cause you're supporting, but a new study finds that not all charities spend their money wisely.

It's a discouraging report, but a yearlong investigation by the Tampa Bay Times and the Center for Investigative Reporting resulted in a list of the worst charities in America.

Read the report.

They were ranked based on how much money they paid to professional solicitors over a decade.

Number one on the list, The Kids Wish Network, which gave about $110 million to corporate solicitors over that time and annually only spends three cents for each dollar to actually help kids.

The rest of the money goes to the charity's operators and the for-profit companies hired to drum up donations. When asked, a Kids Wish Network spokesperson said they hire those people so they can focus on the children, not raising funds themselves.

Other charities on in the top 10 include the Cancer Fund of America, Firefighters Charitable Foundation and National Veterans Service Fund.

On average, the 50 worst spend less than four percent of funds raised on direct cash aid.