Charitable Donations
Was talking with my friend, Josie, at brunch this morning
after attending a charity fundraiser last night when I realized that my
understanding of philanthropy is pitiful. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking “Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation” philanthropy…
Rather, this discussion is about charitable donations for the rest of us.
After a couple of
hours of research, here are some of the salient points.
According to the National Center for Charitable statistics,
over 1 million charities exist in the United States. Total revenues and assets are in excess of $1
and $2 trillion, respectively, per year.
Cha ching!!!! (Hmmmm… With about
half of that amount, I could live happily ever after. Ha ha.)
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/PubApps/profileDrillDown.php?state=US&rpt=PC
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/PubApps/profileDrillDown.php?state=US&rpt=PC
Since there are sooooooo many charities in existence, how do
you choose?
1. Decide what you
can donate. Do you have time, goods and
services, or cash. Fortunately, most
charitable donations are tax deductible; they can be a fun way to give Uncle
Sam the proverbial middle finger around April 15th.
2. Pick a charity
based on your likes and dislikes. For
instance, if you are an animal lover, check out the local humane society. If you are a graphic designer, look for
organizations that may need assistance with creation of a new logo, promotional
materials, or pamphlets. If you work in
a restaurant, check out the food bank and see if they need non-perishable food
items. Find charities based on your
hobbies, professional activities, personal causes, and so forth. They can be local, national, or international
organizations.
3. Do your
research. Is the charity reputable and
in good standing? This is where the
process gets a tad dicey. Search the
charity on the internet and get a snapshot of the organization. What are their overhead and administrative
costs? How much of your donation
actually goes to the intended recipient?
For instance, charities that have endowments to cover overhead will use
less of the donation for ancillary expenses.
Does it have a good rating on web sites like:
4. Now… you can make
an educated decision about your donation.
Who knew that lending a helping hand could be so
complicated?
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