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Giving to others in need
seems to be a natural impulse the world over. Many of us enjoy
giving to causes, programs or research that we agree with and believe in;
however, sometimes we are caught unaware and are asked to give by volunteers. We may love the idea of the cause but know little about
the organization. Or we may like the idea, but prefer it were
handled differently. So where do you go to find the best fitting
charity and how do you determine if they are legitimate? Below we
have compiled some things to consider when choosing a charity, such as when
to
give, how to avoid scams, and other ways to give to the community rather than a
cash donation.
Before you Give
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What Touches You? - It may sound simple
(and it is) but one of the best gauges for which charity to choose
should be what you are passionate about. What causes mean the
most to you? What charities benefit research, education or
programs you believe in? This should be your first consideration
when choosing a charity. It will help narrow your choices and
there is nothing better than having pride about the organization you
choose. Who knows, that initial donation could lead to
volunteering and becoming actively involved in something you really
care about.
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Take Control - Be proactive about the
charities you choose to support. Don't wait for someone to
come knocking at
your door or spend money on reminders in the mail. Instead, take
the first step by actively searching for charities that give to the
causes you believe in. To begin your search, check out some of
these sites:
Charity
Navigator |
Guide
Star |
IRS Search
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Money 101 - Find out where your donation
goes and how it is spent. Most organizations offer easy charts
and/or percentages detailing how much money goes to the cause,
administration, events, publications, etc. Although you may
like the ideas behind an organization, you may not agree with how
they choose to spend the money. The only way to know is to
check them out and if you can't find the information, practice our
next point and ask questions!
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Ask Questions - Don't be afraid to ask
questions! Perhaps how they spend money on fundraising events
is worded ambiguously to you. Or you are not certain if the
funds will stay local or move nationally. Any questions you
have are okay to ask. Sometimes people don't want to ask as
they think they are pestering the volunteers and wasting their time
- that is not the case! By thoroughly answering your
questions, volunteers know they are ensuring your continued loyalty,
confidence and support for their organization. If they don't
want to answer, then consider someone else - there are plenty of
charities to choose from.
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Reputation - Find out about the
charity's
reputation. Have there been complaints about your charity?
Are there accolades for your charity? Take
some time to see what others are saying about the charity of your
choice.
Better
Business Bureau |
Charity
Navigator
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The Quick List - If you don't want to
spend the time researching the charities out there, take a look at
some of these lists to see how they are already ranked by
organizations.
American Institute of Philanthropy |
Charity Navigator
When You Give
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Dust Off the Checkbook - It is best to
donate by check rather than cash or credit card. This way you
can specify the money only goes to the organization. Always
write the check - don't give any information directly to your bank
account. Credit card is okay online if you really know the
source is reliable. But be very cautious!
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Guard Your Information - As with your
bank account information, keep most of your information private.
As you will read in the 'Signs of a Scam' section below, caution is
unfortunately the best practice when donating money.
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Ask if Your Gift is Tax Deductable - Not
all charities actually count as a tax deductable donation.
Although we realize this is not usually the impetuous behind giving
to a charity, it is something to keep in mind if you do plan to
claim it on your taxes - especially if it is a sizable donation.
The charities won't be offended, just ask.
-
Get a Receipt - Even if your donation is
not tax deductable, get a receipt. This will help you track
your records and if you are ever unfortunately caught in a scam, it
might help in developing a case against the criminal.
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Think Ahead - Consider giving to the
charities of your choice once a year or up to a certain amount every
year. This will make it easier to choose a charity that you
know rather than off the cuff impulse. Also, it will make it
that much easier to say no to those who solicit your donations if
you know you have already given as much as you want/can for the
year.
Signs of a Scam
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Appearance is Not Enough - Charity scams
can be everything from a person with a jar asking for a particular
cause to elaborate schemes that include personnel, office space,
logos and image branding - all the signals of a legitimate
operation. Thus, we say it again, it is important to do your
homework before you give.
-
Know the Name - Many charity scams are
set up using names very similar to bigger and better moderated
charities. Be careful and take the time to double check that
the organization you are donating to is the one you are really
thinking of.
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The Copycat - Unfortunately, even
knowing the correct name of the charity may not be enough.
Some scammers (especially in person) will claim to be from an
organization they are not. The best option is to check with
the charity to see if they are running a drive in your area before
you donate.
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Opportunity Knocks - The primary means
for charity scams to get your money is by approaching you in person
(i.e. at the grocery stores or going door to door), spam emails, and
even telemarketing. To be safe, take the information about the
charity down but wait to give until you have had a chance to check
them out. If they turn on the high pressure "sale" when you
mention researching them more, simply walk away. Instead, a
legitimate charity will be happy to give you the information about
their organization and where to find out more. As for emails,
donating to unsolicited emails is never a good idea.
Email is only a good option if it is from an organization with which
you already have a relationship (usually a reminder to come donate
again) or someone you personally know (i.e. participant fundraising
for a benefit walk/run/etc.).
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Too Much Pressure - Yes we just wrote it
above, but it is worth mentioning again - high pressure "sales" from
charities is a huge no-no. If they turn up the sob story,
guilt trip, or state the need is now or never - be wary and just
walk away. Most legitimate charities avoid high pressure
tactics and have guidelines for volunteers against such tactics as
they are just as glad to have raised the awareness if not always the
cash.
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Registration Please - It is good
practice to ask a charity if it is registered and has a registration
number. You can then use this number to look it up with the
Better
Business Bureau.
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Misery Loves Company - Be very careful
when giving after a large natural disaster or another event which
rocks the community. At these times it is usually best to give
through charities that have a standing reputation for helping.
But again, make sure to check the name is not a
quasi copycat. Be careful how you give the money - even when
memorial charities are set up for a local family, you can donate
through a bank with an established trust. Try not to let the
headlines in the news sway you to give to the wrong person!
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Allocation of Funds - Although this is
not necessarily a scam item, some donators feel scammed when they
find out so little of their money actually goes to the cause of
their choice. To avoid this, research the charity to see how
they allocate their funds. As we stated above, every charity
is different in how it will choose allocate the funds raised.
Some charities have high administrative costs and use fundraising to
pay staff salaries. Others spend a great deal on advertising
campaigns. Although neither is illegal, you may want to see if
you agree with the amounts spent. You can find details on the
individual charity websites or directories, such as
Charity
Navigator and
Guide
Star.
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And the Winner Is - Another scam to look
out for is the offer of a entry for a prize with your donation.
This can usually be related to a scam, but also some legitimate
organizations use this tactic. In this instance you may want
to consider how much of your donation is going to fundraising
gimmicks rather than to the cause at hand.
Other Ways to Give
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Your Time is Worth Money - Don't have a
lot of cash to give? A little of your time can help just as
much or even more for some charities. Many organizations need
voluntary workers to make their goals a reality. Most
Americans consider donating around November and December when the
image of helping out the local soup kitchen is etched in our minds.
However, many organizations need help the rest of the year.
Contact the charity you are passionate about and ask when you can be
the most helpful.
Have time but don't know where to participate? Try some
sites like these to find volunteer opportunities in your area.
Many of these sites let you search by interest - if
volunteers get to share the love of one of their hobbies they are
more likely to enjoy the experience and spend more time helping.
www.idealist.org
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www.volunteermatch.org |
www.1-800-volunteer.org |
www.getinvolved.gov
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Take a Volunteer Vacation - Some college
students have made headlines by taking volunteer vacations during
spring break instead of heading to a party hot spot. But these
vacations are not just for college students! Many seasoned
travelers find these vacations a great way to learn more intimately
about other cultures and give a little back in the process.
Whether your passion is people, the environment, culture, language,
or all the above, this might be the next vacation for you.
www.globalvolunteers.org |
www.volunteerabroad.com |
www.globeaware.org |
www.earthwatch.org
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Play on the Web - Some online stores and
searches will donate to charities if you use their interface.
So why not take them up on the free offer?
Do Great Good
| The
Hunger,
Breast Cancer,
Child Health,
Literacy,
Rainforest &
Animal Rescue Sites |
www.searchkindly.org
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Consider Giving a Loan - A different way
of 'giving' may be to actually lend capitol to the working poor.
A new idea in micro financing gives funds to poor families who need
a small loan to make their business ideas work. Loans can be
as low as $25 and are actually paid back (unlike email schemes).
The forerunner in this area is Kiva.org who started in 2005
primarily connecting lenders with 3rd world entrepreneurs. To
find out more, visit their website
www.kiva.org.
This year, Kiva partnered with ACCION USA and the Opportunity Fund to
offer micro loans here in the United States as well. For more
on this option, please visit
www.accionusa.org
or
www.opportunityfund.org.
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Be aware of scams in your state!
In many states, the Attorney
General's Office provides information about charities from how to
register and requirements to alerts concerning local scams.
However, every state is different. Please see the
National Association of State Charity Officials' website for
a list of contacts in your state.
http://www.nasconet.org/
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