A Few Giving Tips & 5 Steps for Informed Giving

CharityWatch CEO, Laurie Styron, was recently interviewed by the Minnesota Star Tribune about things to avoid when making your giving decisions this year.

“‘Gaining a basic understanding of just how unregulated the nonprofit sector is will work wonders for any donors feeling pressured to give,’ said Laurie Styron, CharityWatch CEO and executive director…”

“A fundraiser that uses high pressure tactics by claiming that something bad will happen if you don’t donate immediately or who manipulates language by falsely claiming that your donation will be ‘matched’ are some things to watch out for.”

“‘A good rule of thumb is that if you don’t trust a charity to use your donation wisely, don’t give to that charity,’ Styron said. ‘After your donation leaves your account, that’s not a good time to start questioning how it will be used.'”

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5 Steps For Informed Giving

When we care deeply about a cause, whether it’s rescuing animals, aiding our nation’s veterans, or helping people in crisis, too often we assume that any charity operating in that cause is inherently doing good work. This is especially true when a charity presents us with compelling stories, sad photos, and desperate pleas for help that put time pressure on our decision to donate.

But just because a cause is good does not mean that all charities working in that cause are good and are operating efficiently and responsibly. Our emotional reactions open our hearts, but effective giving requires that we also open our eyes. While there is no perfect formula for how any individual should make their donating decisions, CharityWatch offers the following as a guide for your consideration.

Step 1: What Causes Do You Care About Most?

You are only one person. You can’t fix the entire world by yourself. Even the very fortunate among us have limited resources. Consider which causes are most important to you. Doing so will make you a more proactive giver and help you avoid falling victim to frauds and scams. Instead of waiting to be asked and making impulsive donating decisions, being mindful of what you care about will drive you to be more thoughtful when you donate, and perhaps even more generous. 

Step 2: What Can You Afford?

What we can and cannot afford is not always a logical calculation. Our perceptions in this regard may be shaped by our hope for the future, feelings of guilt, anxiety in the face of evocative imagery, sad stories about people or animals who need our help, and any number of factors that are based more on our feelings than on the cold, hard facts of our financial positions.

Charities often quantify what they can accomplish with a specific donation amount to help put that dollar figure into perspective—for example, you can feed a child for the cost of one cup of coffee per day. These quantifiers help us think about our spending habits in ways that allow us to incorporate giving back within the context of what we can afford. They also help us to reflect on the philosophical considerations of what we are willing and able to give up to support the causes we care about. 

Only you can decide what you can afford. It’s ok for a charity to ask you to reflect on this question, but it’s not ok for them to bully you into making donations that are not in your budget. Saying no to some charities is what allows you to say yes to others. You are not a bad person for setting boundaries and maintaining control over your budgeting decisions. 

Step 3: Identify Efficient & Responsible Charities

Whether you care about animal welfare, injured veterans, cancer research, climate change, homelessness, food insecurity, social justice, or other causes, keep in mind that there are charities that will use your donations efficiently and responsibly, and charities that will not. View our Top-Rated list to help you identify nonprofits worthy of your donations.  

Step 4: What Programs Do You Care About?

In steps 1 – 3 you thought about what causes you care about, how much you can afford to donate, and compiled a list of efficient charities working in those causes. Chances are you still need a way to whittle down your list of potential charities before making your final selections. To do this, consider what types of charitable programs you want to fund. 

For example, just because a charity is operating efficiently and has a mission you care about doesn’t necessarily mean that its specific programs align with what you most want to support. One animal charity might rescue and provide sanctuary for sick and abandoned animals, while another may focus primarily on educating the public about inhumane conditions in factory farms.

Step 5: Turn Your Intentions Into Actions

The important final step is to turn your thoughts and words into actions by donating. You’ve done your due diligence by researching charities. Now you are ready to give thoughtfully.  We hope you find this brief roadmap to giving helpful today and throughout the holiday season as you consider which charities to support.