Giving to a charity isn’t as easy as writing a check and dropping it in the mail. Before you even reach that point, you’ll need to choose a charity, and that can be a complicated process in itself. While the decision will ultimately be up to you, these tips can help you narrow down your choices.
Choose a Cause
There are countless causes out there that are in need of money and other resources. If you’re not careful, you can go broke giving to the hundreds of organizations that are seeking help. In choosing an organization to help, you should first choose a cause that’s important to you. When you have an emotional attachment to a cause, your donations will mean more to you.
Narrow Down Your Options
Even after you choose a cause, you’ll find plenty of organizations that seem to be working towards that cause. You can begin narrowing down your choices by determining whether you want to work with a local or global organization. Working with a local charity will give you the benefit of seeing your donations impact your own community. However, a global charity can do more with your donations by using the money to fund international programs.
Vet Each Organization
Once you have just a few options left, you can begin looking more closely at each organization. Browse their website and social media pages to see how active they are and how they interact with their followers. This can let you know what you can expect from your donations. If the organization doesn’t seem to boast about regular achievements or events, they may not be very active in supporting the cause. Your goal should be to work with a charitable organization that takes consistent action in improving the issue that concerns you. You should also look for how they interact with their followers to ensure you can stay involved beyond giving your monetary donations.
Once you have chosen the charity you want to help, it can be a good idea to call ahead before submitting a donation. Tax laws and other restrictions may play a part in the size and types of donations they can receive. You can also find out more about their specific needs, which can help you do more for the cause.
This article was originally published at SoniaHodgin.org.