Tips on Choosing A Charity

May 18, 2013 By Kim Leave a Comment

Tips on Choosing a Charity. While I am always thrilled to offer up money-saving deals and ideas to help you save money, there are times when I believe in offering up information that enhances your character instead of your wallet. This is one of those times. With money, time and just about everything else in short supply in a weak economy, charitable donations are more important now than ever. So, how do you choose which charity is worthy of your limited resources?  Before you grab items, or write a check or donate your time, here are a few things to consider…

I donate my three sons’ gently used coats to others and food to needy families, but I also donate other types of resources to organizations like the Next Level Training & Motivation/Cogi. Why? The words of a mother whom I met yesterday at the Next Level Open House, and whose son is enrolled in a Next Level/Cogi program, says it best:

“This organization DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS IT WILL DO, and it has made a difference in my child’s life. My son was falling through the cracks and Next Level has saved him. He is more confident now. He didn’t use to think he mattered, but now he KNOWS matters and that SOMEBODY cares.”

I can tell you, this is the kind of “return on investment” that I as a donor and board member seek!  Keep in mind, when I say “investment”, I don’t specifically mean money. An investment is any resource you have available to you that you can share — time being one of them. Those few words from a mother whose child has benefited from this organization were an affirmation that my donations have done what they were supposed to do and not wasted, misused or taken for granted.

Tips to Choosing A Charity

• Give to groups you know - If you know the organization and you know their work,  then you will know with some degree of confidence that your gift will be put to good use.
• Verify the charity is the one you think it is & is legitimate - You may be giving to a policeman’s fund that does not even benefit local law enforcement officers and is not even in your state! Also, there are a lot of scammers out there too! Don’t be taken in. Verify them HERE.
• Understand the group’s work and how they go about doing it – You may think the organization is promoting abstinence, when in fact they are providing contraceptives.
  
• Check to see if your donations are tax-deductible – Some non-profits are not tax-deductible.
• Ask questions and find out what percentage of donations is actually used to carry out the charities mission- Some organizations use 85% of donations on administrative costs, but others, like Save1.com make sure 80% of donations go to the charity’s mission of helping others. A good rule of thumb: Make sure an organization uses no less that 65% on helping others and no more than 35% on administrative costs.
• Think twice before giving to a university or hospital – While worthy, these institutions are also heavyweights in the fundraising world, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars each year. For example, Harvard University’s endowment, meaning the amount of money it has socked away in savings, now stands at over $25 billion. Meanwhile, soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters and other organizations often struggle to raise enough to keep going. Many arts organizations also have trouble balancing their budgets. Such groups may not have the resources to solicit funds from you, but that doesn’t mean they won’t appreciate your gift and make good use of it.
• Volunteer -This can be a great way to get information about a charity before giving money. Hands-on experience will tell you how well-managed the organization is and how effectively it accomplishes its mission.
• Use Checks- Don’t give out credit card or personal information in response to phone, e-mail or door-to-door appeals. They may be fraudulent. If giving online, locate the charity’s Web site yourself rather than linking through an e-mail. Above all, don’t give cash. Your best bet is to mail a check to the organization.

As human beings, we are given a finite amount of time on Earth with which to spend and share with others. If you are not already involved in actively supporting a charity, either financially, with donations of your time or other resources, I urge you to consider the tips I shared above and get involved with a charitable organization. By doing what you can, when you can, you will reap the benefit most of all!!

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