How to Choose the Right Nonprofit to Support

Choosing the right kind of nonprofit to give a donation to can be a little overwhelming. You want your money to go to good use. There are many great programs, services, and leaders out there, but there are also scams and, unfortunately, nonprofits that mismanage their money. 

So, to help you wade through the murky waters of giving a meaningful donation, here are some useful tips and the websites where we found them!

1. Clarify your beliefs and preferences (http://bit.ly/13TzfQQ)

• Do this before you open your checkbook, volunteer your time, or look at that letter from a charity

• Think about what matters most to you. The environment? Education? Hunger? Animal welfare? Helping sick children? Economic development?

• Think about where you want to make an impact. In your neighborhood? Region? The nation? Internationally?

• Ask yourself if you want to support a large or small charity, a new or an old one.

2. Make sure the charity is legitimate (http://nbcnews.to/1bpGcuK)

• The Internal Revenue Service maintains a list of all organizations registered as charities. Also check with your state’s attorney general or charities bureau, which is responsible for policing charities within the state and can provide a wealth of information about them. Don’t know your state’s charity regulator? Go towww.nasconet.org, a national association of state charity officers, to find yours. 

3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions (http://nbcnews.to/1bpGcuK)

• Charities are required to provide information about their programs and expenses. Start with these questions: How will my gift be spent? How many people did you help last year? In what way? If you don’t get adequate answers, don’t give anything. 

4. You Don't Have To Give A Lot at Once (http://onforb.es/17kkOE6)

• If you believe in a cause, you don’t have to limit your giving to the dollars you can spare right now. Consider getting into the charitable habit by making small regular donations throughout the year, just as you make regular contributions to your 401(k) or other saving accounts.

5. Make sure mission aligns with your vision. (http://bit.ly/13TzfQQ)

• Look at a charity's description on GuideStar, on its Web site, in its literature, or on Charting Impact.