The time of year when more people open their wallets to give to charities is quickly approaching. If you’re wanting to give a generous donation somewhere, but aren’t sure where to start, there are many factors to consider. In this article, we’ll cover everything from researching organizations and finding your passion to making sure that your donations help make a difference in the lives of others and align with the things that you already care about.
Find Your Passion
Finding a charity that you are passionate about is one of the best ways to ensure your donations will be put to good use. People who care about feeding the hungry or helping children should find organizations with a similar focus. There are likely places in your own community that would align with your passion. If you can’t find a charity that fits your interests, consider starting your own organization and working toward making it successful.
Think About Your Interests
If you are considering donating to a charity, think about your interests. What do you enjoy doing? Are you good at something? Do you have a passion for something? If so, that’s one way to decide which charities to support. People who know the value of music for example might want to give to an organization that teaches children music for free. Figuring out your interests is also a great way to consider how to volunteer and give of your time and not just your money. Charitable organizations rely on volunteers to do the work and to help people in their communities that need it the most.
Talk To People You Know
You can also talk to people who have donated to a charity before and ask them about their experiences. Ask them what they would do differently if they could do it again. Also, ask where they found the charity, how well the charity communicated with them, and whether or not there were any issues with a lack of communication from the charity in general or at specific points during the donation process. This is especially helpful when you make very large donations. You want to be sure the money goes for its intended purpose.
Find Organizations That Align With Your Values
You want to find organizations that align with your values, and beliefs and how you want to make a difference. Organizations have different missions and programs, so you must choose one that resonates with you. Read through websites, get on their social media channels and search for nonprofits that ignite a passion in you.
You want to consider the following questions: What is your view of the world? What do you care about? What are your values? How do you want to make a difference? These questions will help guide you in finding an organization or cause that matches who you are as a person. When it comes time for making charitable decisions, you’ll succeed in giving because there won’t be any doubt about where donations should go.
Find Ones That Care About Cybersecurity
This sounds like a strange factor, but when you are giving your financial information to an organization, you need to know they can be trusted. Nonprofit cybersecurity helps to protect them, their constituents, and their donors. Without the right security, they can be easily hacked, and your information could be compromised. Look for indicators on their website that they use trusted payment processors and have site protection before you choose to give to them online.
Look For Charities That Helped a Friend
Look for charities that make a difference in the lives of people you know. What are the needs of your friends and family? Perhaps they need help with childcare or transportation to and from work and there is a local organization that gave them the boost they needed. Maybe they need a new roof for their house or better access to nutritious food for their children and they got help from a charity for those. Giving back to the organizations that helped people you know can be incredibly rewarding.
Seek Out Resources
The internet is an excellent resource for finding charities. You can even search through sites like Charity Navigator to find reputable options and read up on them. A quick Google search can yield a wealth of information about the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and progress, as well as its current needs and requests.
