Donating to Charity
As we continue on into the holiday season many of us will feel compelled to donate $ to charity. I am a huge supporter of making charitable donations towards an organization that is progressive. Most of the time we want to give our funds to a non-profit and just don’t know how to go about it. Here are some helpful tips before you “cut” that check.
- Choose a cause very wisely – There is a smorgasbord of charities out there, so pick one that you have a personal interest in. “Making it rain” is not the most prudent way of donating $, rather you should find charities/causes that u feel u will have vested interest in.
- Check how they operate – It is imperative that you are aware of how efficiently the charity that you are choosing operates. Make sure that u conduct sufficient research on the organization before writing your check. Some charities are very inefficient and small fractions of your donation actually get appropriated for the intended cause. Your best bet….if you have never heard of the charity, DON’T donate to it.
- Tax Receipt – Most people are not careful with how they make their contributions. When you fill out the donor form make sure to get a tax receipt. It will definitely make you feel good when your tax return is a bit “bigger” come April. (I know this applies in the US.. not sure about aboard)
- Networking – People always ask me….’YG how do you know so many people?’ Here is a little secret that I learned years ago….getting involved with a charity often allows you to rub elbows with like minded people. Take advantage of the opportunities to get to know other contributors in your charity of choice. Generally, you will find that a lot of charity supporters come from diverse and influential backgrounds. Involvement with a charity will create opportunities and contacts that are priceless. 😉
Remember….we are all here to make a difference, so choose wisely… I will leave u with a quote….
“In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who will help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so; to give those who desire to rise the aids by which they may rise.”
~Andrew Carnegie, The “Gospel of Wealth”
~Time to Shake,
YG
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To research your selected nonprofit, go to http://charitynavigator.org/ and search for your organization. The site offers detailed reports on the financial health and organizational efficiency of your chosen cause.
Another useful site is Give.org. However, Charity Navigator is more user friendly and allows you to do organizational comparisons.
You may also want to donate on a family member or friend’s behalf (i.e., make a tribute gift). I recently donated a sheep to a poor farmer in Africa on behalf of my best friend. She loved it! Check out the following sites to make tribute gifts.
https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com
http://www.globalgiving.com/gifts/index.html
Happy Donating!
Denise
One more thing, I disagree with “if you have never heard of the charity, DON’T donate to it.” I recommend researching the organization first.
There are a lot of well known nonprofit brands that spend a great deal on marketing and branding. However, they are not necessarily the best at fulfilling their mission.
At the same time, there are a number of nonprofits that are well-respected within the nonprofit community for their program effectiveness, financial management and innovative program models that are relatively unknown to the general public.
I recommend checking out the following lesser-known but highly respected organization:
Scojo Foundation: http://www.scojofoundation.org/
Scojo is one of my favorite orgs because it’s has a very innovative model for tackling Global Poverty. Check out how Scojo empowers people and makes them social entrepreneurs.
Denise
[…] « A YG Message….. Oprah’s school for girls opens….. » Donating to Charity 101- by Denise Gomes January 2nd, 2007 My homegirl Denise Gomes took a peek at my piece on “Donating toCharity” and decided to add her 2 cents to the fold. Denise provided some very informative feedback and hopefully you will find this information useful too. Miss Gomes is truly a force to be reckon with in the philanthrophic world.. I’m lucky to have her as my buddy… […]