Be Familiar with the Organization You're Donating To

In order to attract financial support, nonprofits must tell potential contributors about their work. Don't ever hand over money to an organisation whose legitimacy you can't verify. Request brochures and the organization's most recent yearly report. The most current audited financial statements with notes should be included, along with a list of the board of directors.

Consider whether or not it's worth contributing to a charity if it won't answer your questions. Authentic organisations would welcome your inquiries and enthusiasm. Please visit Make-A-Wish foundation for more details.

Discover How Your Money Is Being Spent

Determine what percentage of your gift goes toward the things you care about and what percentage goes toward overhead and fundraising. Charity organisations that are very efficient often allocate 75% or more of their budget to actual service delivery. Be aware that well-established, well-publicized organisations can afford a smaller share of their budget for fundraising and administration expenditures, whereas younger groups and those focusing on less popular subjects may need to spend a larger share.

Get in touch with organisations who label big percentages of their direct mail and telemarketing costs as 'public education,' since this may be a red flag that they are misusing the money. In certain circumstances, this could be done to cover up excessive expenditures for fundraising.

Charity self-reporting is notoriously unreliable, making it difficult to ascertain the actual proportion of donations that go toward providing actual services. In any case, if you have any particular questions, you can always inquire with the charity's representative about details like the number of people helped yearly and the highlights from the previous year's programme.

Give It Straight

Direct donations to the organisation you're hoping to help are both more effective and safer than those made via a middleman or online platform. By avoiding intermediaries, you may be certain that your whole gift will be used for its intended purpose, without being reduced, stalled, or otherwise misappropriated.

Similarly, you should never send checks payable to fundraisers if you get a solicitation from a professional fundraiser; instead, you should verify with the charity to be sure the fundraiser is legitimate. To donate to the right people, you can check out Make-A-Wish websites.

Don't Give In To Pressure

Do not give in to pressure to make an immediate contribution. Request written materials if you need more information about a charity you are unfamiliar with, and read them thoroughly. You are well within your rights to decline. There is no need to feel rushed into making a donation to any reputable charity.

Donation Receipts Should Be Kept

Don't hand out money. Additionally, never give out your credit card information over the phone or online to a stranger. In order to have proof of your contribution for tax reasons, it is recommended that you get a receipt or printout of your transaction.

Keep track of all donations, no matter how little, for tax reasons. Bank records, cancelled checks, or written contact from the organisation are all acceptable forms of documentation for donations under $250. Any written confirmation of a donation must include the organization's name, the amount donated, and the date the payment was made.