How To Choose A Good Non-Profit

Home | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

	Psychology
	Stress Management
	Cooking
	Travel Tips
	Science
	Dependency
	Language
	Relationships
	Happiness
	Homeschooling
	Beauty
	Destinations
	Parenting
	K-12 Education
	History

VIEW ALL CATEGORIES

Welcome to ArticleSpectrum.com!

How To Choose A Good Non-Profit

By: admin

Charitable organizations need our help more than ever. But how do you choose a good nonprofit? Here's what you need to know and what documents you'll need for Uncle Sam.

1. KNOW YOUR HEART
Before you hit the "donate now" button on a website or send a check, "it's important to do an audit of your own values, passions and beliefs first," says Kevin Scally, chief relationship officer at Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org), an independent nonprofit evaluator. We often give money to charities because we want to help others (giving money to organizations providing aid to Ukraine, for example) or we want to take action about something in our lives that was either joyful or even painful (a family illness or premature baby), he says. Make a list of what matters to you, then move on to the next step.

2. SPOT RED FLAGS
To vet a charity, make sure it's supported by other foundations or credible donors, has a board of directors and/or is a registered nonprofit. You can investigate 1.6 million registered charities on charitynavigator.org for free. Scan the site's advisory section to learn about misconduct. "This could be anything from a failure to register for fundraising within a state to embezzlement to the entire charity being fake," Scally says.

3. FOLLOW THE MONEY
What percentage of total earnings is spent on programming? "We look for 70 percent or more going to programs," Scally says. "Typically we get this information based on what the charity files to the IRS. We then take what they're spending on programs, and contrast it to the marketing, advertising and other ways they're spending money to calculate a program/expense ratio."

4. FIND THE ORG
Once you've zeroed in on the causes, focus on which organization best match your interests, says Phil Buchanan, author of "Giving Done Right." "The performance of a nonprofit isn't just summed up in a financial statement, but rather that they're doing something you care about and are collecting data to show that they're making an impact."

5. CHECK THE IRS RULES
Make sure the organization is a 501(c)(3), which means your donations are tax deductible. "Donors should receive a tax acknowledgement, which could be a simple email or an emailed receipt," Scally says. "Keep that itemized receipt in case you get audited." The IRS requires receipts for donations of $250 or more.

- Lambeth Hochwald

Total Views : 408 Word Count Appx. : 384

See All articles From Author