Making the Most of Your Holiday Donation

You know that saying, “‘Tis the season for giving”? It appears to be more than just a saying: Between 70 and 80 percent of Americans contribute to a charity at least once a year and most of that giving is done during the holidays, according to the American Association of Fundraising Counsel.

This year, with so many more folks struggling, there is even greater need for help from local charities. But, unfortunately, the economy is affecting these charities too: they are already struggling with cuts in funding and resources, as well smaller contributions and fewer donors.

So, if you are fortunate enough to be able to give back this holiday season, there are plenty of organizations out there that could use the help. And, there are many online resources out there that can help you make an informed decision about where to give.

Sites like Charity Navigator offer some great tools for managing your donations. For example, you can flag charities that are of interest to you and organize them into a portfolio so you can track them. You can also share your favorite charities with friends, post comments, get side-by-side comparisons of charities and more.

Here’s a list of additional resources that will help you evaluate the financial health, executive compensation, management efficiency and ethical behavior of the charities you’re interested in.

• Charity Navigator
• Association of Fundraising Professionals
• American Institute of Philanthropy (Charity Watch)
• Wise Giving Alliance (Better Business Bureau)
• GuideStar

For more tips on giving wisely, click here.

Armed with the right knowledge, your generosity will have an even bigger impact on the lives of the people you’re trying to help because your donation will go a lot further.

And isn’t that what the holiday season is all about?

One Response to “Making the Most of Your Holiday Donation”

1. cmylinh says:

   December 16, 2009 at 5:37 pm

   Here’s more evidence that charities need your help:

   With demand up, charities face tough holidays
   http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091216/ap_on_re_us/us_challenged_charities