How to Choose a Charity to Support

Co-authored by Rob Wu

Last Updated: June 3, 2021

Supporting a charity can be a rewarding way to give back to the community or aid someone in need. There are many charities to choose from that support a wide range of people with varied needs, so finding the right one can be daunting at first. Seek charities that are reputable and that you identify with to make sure your donation is benefitting a cause you care about to the fullest extent possible.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Cause

1
Decide on a category. If you don't already have a charitable cause in mind, you will need to choose one to investigate. There are a number of different types of charities that provide support or service to many kinds of groups.
- Medical charities can help raise money to find cures or help people living with disease or disability.
- Educational charities help under privileged students get a good education or pursue college degrees.
- Veteran charities provide housing to injured veterans and support treatment facilities.
- There is likely a charity that benefits something you're passionate about.
2
Narrow your search. If you have decided that you would like to donate your time or money to a medical charity, you should determine what cause within that category you feel the strongest about. While there are charities that invest in a broad range of things, you may find that you would rather support a charity that works specifically with breast cancer or diabetes, for instance.
- There are specialized charities within each broad category.
- Do some research on charitable causes within your field of interest.
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3
Do an inventory of what's important to you. The easiest way to choose a charitable cause is to think about issues in your life that you feel deserve addressing. Maybe you lost a loved one to a disease that has no cure, or you remember having the music program canceled at your school as a child.^{[1]
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- Charitable giving is a way to right a wrong you see in the world. Think about what things you would like to see change.
- It will be easier to support a charity that you have an emotional connection to.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Finding the Right Charity

1
Use a charity search engine. There are a number of websites that specialize in providing people quick and easy access to lists of the charities they're looking for. Many sites also provide information about the charities like financial statements and overhead costs.
- Websites like CharityNavigator.com allow you to search by a number of categories or simply peruse lists of charities sorted by various topics.
- Givewell.org and CharityWatch.org both keep extensive lists of charities and rank them based on a series of criteria to help you make a better informed decision.
2
Confirm the charity's legitimacy. You may not find the charity of your choosing on a charity search engine, so you may need to confirm that the charity is reputable. While charitable giving is a noble endeavor, there are people that try to take advantage of others by posing as charitable foundations. These fake charities can have elaborate websites and seem extremely official, so it's best to confirm a charity is legitimate via a third party: preferably an official source.^{[2]
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- Look up the charity you've chosen on a website like CharityWatch.org if you haven't already.
- If it is a local charity, you can contact your state attorney general or charity bureau to confirm their legitimacy.
3
Confirm the scope of the charity. If you have decided that you want to support a charity that benefits people within your community, you will want to make sure the charity you've found has a reach that includes your local area. Many charities work specifically within regions, so you want to make sure you find one that works within yours if the locality of the service they provide is important to you.^{[3]
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- For instance, if you would like to support a charity that benefits police officers, you may choose to support the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund.
- However, if you want to ensure your support benefits your local law enforcement, you may want to choose a more locally oriented charity.
4
Find out how the charity will use your donation. If you intend to donate money, you may want to determine how the money you provide will be used. All charities have overhead costs, but you may be surprised to know that the amount of donated money put toward the actual charitable cause can vary significantly depending on the organization.^{[4]
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- A “top tier” charity will put 75% or more of donated funds toward the actual charitable cause.
- Many charity search engines like Charity Watch and Charity Navigator will provide you with this information through a quick search.
5
Ask about the charity's privacy policy. Charities often record your personal information along with your donation for tax and future outreach purposes. As a result, the charity you choose will have information about you that could be extremely marketable to third party agencies.^{[5]
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- Review their privacy policy online to make sure they don't sell donor information to other non-profits, mailing houses or telemarketers.
- If a charity does not have a posted privacy policy, contact them to ask about it.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Choosing What to Give

1
Donate money. The first thing most people think of when it comes to donating to charity is money. Money makes the world go 'round and can be significant to charitable organizations. Charities use your donation to provide help to people who need it and pay for the cost of managing the organization itself. ^{[6]
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- Remember that your donations are often tax deductible, but don't overextend yourself by donating more than you can afford.
- Consider setting up a smaller donation that repeats on a regular basis to provide continued support without putting too big of a dent in your wallet at any one time.
2
Donate time. Many charities need volunteers as much as they need money. Charity work can be extremely rewarding and give you the opportunity to see the good you are doing in real time. If you have any specialized skills, your donated time could be extremely valuable and useful to a charity.^{[7]
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- Contact the charity to see if there are any volunteer services they are particularly in need of. They may need people to assist in outreach or administration that requires little to no training or experience.
- Some charities may be in need of whatever you currently do for a living. Let them know what you do and see if it can help.
- You may be able to donate time from home if they need help with social media or community outreach.
3
Donate blood or organs. Blood and organ donors are always in demand. Donating blood can save lives and won't cost you much more than some time and a little light-headedness. Donating bone marrow or an organ would require a significantly larger sacrifice, but you may feel the good you would be doing would be worth it.^{[8]
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- You could choose to become an organ donor when you pass away instead of donating now.
- The Red Cross and other organizations often have blood drives going on in cities around the country. Check out RedCross.org to find a donation center near you.
- You could also contact your state or local charity bureau to find out about other medical donation cites in your area.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I make sure a charity is legitimate?

Rob Wu
Digital Fundraising & Crowdfunding Expert
Rob Wu is the CEO of CauseVox, a digital fundraising platform designed for nonprofits. CauseVox works to help do-gooders raise more money with less effort. Rob has raised over $200,000 for his own nonprofit crowdfunding projects, and his work has been recognized by CNN, Christian Science Monitor, and the Wall Street Journal.

Rob Wu

Digital Fundraising & Crowdfunding Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

First, check for an established web presence: Most legitimate organizations have some type of web presence. Search for the charity online and see what comes up. If they have a website, make sure it shows things like their staff members and board members. Then, look for official documentation online. An organization is probably legitimate if their website lists their financials, a 990 form, innovations posts, or a determination letter.
Question

How do I choose a charity wisely?

Rob Wu
Digital Fundraising & Crowdfunding Expert
Rob Wu is the CEO of CauseVox, a digital fundraising platform designed for nonprofits. CauseVox works to help do-gooders raise more money with less effort. Rob has raised over $200,000 for his own nonprofit crowdfunding projects, and his work has been recognized by CNN, Christian Science Monitor, and the Wall Street Journal.

Rob Wu

Digital Fundraising & Crowdfunding Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Try third-party services that track nonprofit organizations. If there's not enough information online about a charity, try services like GuideStar or Charity Navigator. You can use those to compare nonprofits from a financial perspective, like if their tax status is up-to-date.