Herein is the issue many have with charities. The one you were involved in I'm sure was set up with the best intention but once it was control by that CEO they created an empire that I doubt they had to answer for.
I witnessed first hand the RSPCA and just would never give them a penny. It's a huge shame but it is a huge sham.
Charities that fund research (cancer, heart disease) underwrite 90% of research in the UK. The rest comes from HMG (via the MRC) and other smaller bodies.
All of them rely on people in the field peer reviewing grant applications submitted by, er, other people in the field. This amounts to the pupils marking their own homework. Soon it is the Oxbridge stream in the sixth form marking everyone else's homework.
You can guess the rest.