Being more strategic in your charitable giving will maximize the impact of your contributions. After you’ve decided on your charitable goals and the characteristics of the not-for-profits you’d like to support, it’s time to find the specific charities.

Do research
Search the internet and ask family and friends if they know of any organizations which work towards your charitable goals and have the characteristics of your ideal not-for-profit.

Be patient
It can take time to find charities which meet your requirements. It took me over a year – but I found two charities I’m thrilled to support. With the hundreds of thousands of not-for-profits already in existence, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.

Narrow down your list
Once you’ve found several potential charities, dig a bit deeper. To find out the truth behind the charity’s public persona, you may want to:

- Volunteer. Even a brief stint volunteering will give you loads of information on how the charity really works. If you see disorganization or waste, scratch this charity from your list.

- Meet the staff. In a very small charity you could meet the Executive Director, otherwise you can meet a Development Officer (a person trying to raise funds). Ask about their organization, its goals, and how they work towards those goals. If you find a major disconnect between what they say and the charity’s public persona, consider crossing them off your list.

- Make a small initial contribution. Contribute $10 or $25 and see what happens. Do you receive monthly requests for more money? Did they add you to their e-newsletter distribution list? In other words, are they being smart with your money?

You’ll be surprised how much information you’ll gather from any one of these steps, and how quickly you might narrow down your list of potential charities.