Posts Tagged ‘ Charity ’

Having created a list of charities to support, it’s time to start contributing. A few things to consider:

Timing your contributions – consider July
Our family likes to make charitable contributions in the summer for two reasons. One, the deluge of December donation requests all go into the recycling bin. We’ve already made our contributions for the year, so don’t consider new requests.

Secondly, it’s easier on our cash flow. Like many people, we fund our 401(k) in the first quarter, pay taxes in April, then start buying for Christmas in the fall. We make our contributions in July to smooth out our monthly cash flows. 

How you contribute – check or credit card
Charities strongly prefer that you contribute by check because it saves them the 3% credit card processing fee - money which could have been spent on their programs. On the other hand, you may get frequent flyer miles for charging your donation on a credit card. Just something to consider.

Make a long-term commitment
Your selected charities want to count on your dollars coming in for a long time. Stick with your charities year-in and year-out unless they no longer meet your carefully thought out charitable goals or ideal not-for-profit characteristics.

Be consistent in your giving
When charities draw up their budgets they’re planning on you giving at least the same amount you gave the year before. Try to keep your contributions at the same level, or increase them, over time.

Say no to charities not on your list
When you’re approached by co-workers, family, or friends to give to their favorite charities, if their pet causes don’t squarely meet your criteria, just say no. Explain how you’ve decided on the charities you support. Or make a small contribution ($10 or $25) to keep the peace.

Ask to be removed from mailing lists
Finally, ask those charities you don’t give to, which repeatedly send you mailings, to take you off their mailing lists. You’ll save them money while cutting down on your junk mail.

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.