A newly released report says more than 6,400 charities in Colorado raised $4.2 billion last year.
The Denver Post reports the report released by Secretary of State Wayne Williams shows that the state's charities reported spending nearly 10 percent of contributions on fundraising expenses. Charities that used paid professional solicitors kept about 81 percent of the money raised on their behalf.
The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust and the Network for Good accounted for most of the $472 million raised by paid solicitors in Colorado in 2015, including national campaigns.
According to the report, charities across the country that received funds from Colorado residents reported raising close to $80 billion nationwide. About 8 percent went to fundraising expenses.