# BRD-057 — A charity brand needs an arm's-length accreditation

> A brand running the charity use case must be accredited by at least one independent non-profit accreditation body.

- **Rule ID:** BRD-057
- **Layer:** Brand (`BRAND`)
- **Checks:** `accreditation listing URL`
- **Severity:** BLOCKING — Breaking this rule gets the submission rejected outright.
- **When it bites:** Gates approval — get this wrong and registration is refused
- **How it is detected:** External record we cannot query — reported as a warning to verify
- **Fix type:** Wait on an external system or a required interval
- **Required by:** T-Mobile, CTIA
- **Applies:** Applies when the use case is CHARITY.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/brand/brd-057/

## Why this rule exists

The charity use case carries relief that ordinary marketing does not get, and tax-exempt status alone is a low bar — it says the IRS accepted a form, not that the organisation is what it says. An accreditation from a body that examines finances and governance is the evidence carriers actually want, and a charity that has never sought one finds this out at the point of registration rather than at the point of applying.

## How to fix it

Obtain a current BBB Wise Giving Alliance report or a current three- or four-star Charity Navigator rating, and keep the listing URL with the registration. Where neither is held, register the messaging under a use case that does not claim charitable standing until accreditation is in place.

## Check this yourself

**Do you hold a current BBB Wise Giving Alliance report, or a current three- or four-star Charity Navigator rating, with its listing URL to hand?**

1. Look the organisation up on both and note the listing URL for whichever it holds.
2. Check the rating is current rather than historical — Charity Navigator ratings are computed from filed returns and lapse.
3. Neither in place: this is a lead-time item. A BBB report takes weeks, so register under a use case that does not claim charitable standing until it lands.

*What wrong looks like:* Tax-exempt status is treated as sufficient. It says the IRS accepted a form, not that an independent body examined the finances — which is the evidence carriers actually want.

## Notes

We cannot check an accreditation listing. The user has to hold one before registering: the BBB report takes weeks to obtain and Charity Navigator ratings are computed from filed returns, so neither is available on demand — this is a lead-time item, not a form field.