Charities and non-profit organizations are growing in number every year. It is one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy with over 2 million organizations actively asking for donations from reputable and ordinary donors alike. Sure, it is always a self-fulfilling role to support a charity and thankfully, most of the charities being organized by these non-profit organizations are honest and sincere with the causes they support. You will hear about them through word of mouth, flyers, personal visits from representatives, and even through social media and ads online. Unfortunately, there are still a few that actually scam people with their funds, so to be able to avoid this, here are a few helpful tips on how to give wisely to charity.
· It is important that you know what the charity is about and what their mission is in doing such a project. It would be very unwise to just give money away without knowing where it goes to or who is handling it. Charities are obliged and expected to give detailed information to the people they are asking money from, so don’t hesitate to say no if you feel suspicious about a particular charity. You can always request a copy of the charity’s annual reports or some form of proof that will prove their credibility and sincerity in their work.
· Another important thing to look into is where your donations go to. There’s no harm in asking the people behind the charity where the money goes to, so don’t hesitate to ask for information regarding the funds being donated. For example, you can ask how much of your money goes to fundraising expenses and how much goes to the recipients of the funds themselves. Ideally, according to research and reports done on charities, 60% of the funds should go to program services while 40% should be spent on general administration.
· It is the primary goal of representatives to convince donors to offer donations, so expect most of them to apply pressure on you either directly or discreetly. You don’t have to contribute to their cause immediately, especially if you are not familiar with the name of the charity or the name of the organization backing the charity. You can always request more information first before giving donations since a legitimate charity or non-profit organization will not pressure you in any way to give funds to them immediately.
· Do NOT give in to emotional appeals. “Sob stories” and other pathetic attempts to get you to donate without asking questions are usually what representatives and teams would do to get you to donate immediately. Crying and sad looks can be enticing, but remember that you want to help by offering donations for the right cause and for the right people.
· Lastly, if you are happy with a particular organization and can see clearly where your money goes to, you can always give more in donations if you think it is worthy. Again, not all organizations and charities are suspicious and frauds, so don’t hesitate to do your part in helping the community if you believe in the cause the organization supports.
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