Donating funds to a charity is one of the greatest ways you can make a difference in the world today. While you may not actually be able to go to China to help orphaned children or travel to Africa to help with medical needs of the natives, you can invest in a charity that (with funds from people such as yourself) can go to these places and use your charitable donation to really help the people and cause you are working for. With so many organizations to choose from, you can choose a cause you feel deeply about supporting.
There are some tips you should know about when it comes to donating to charity organizations; they will help you make the most of your donations.
- Decide on your cause
There are a lot of causes you can donate to, but you probably don’t have the funds to donate to all of them. This means you have to choose from an extremely long list of organizations. To help yourself decide on one or a couple, decide what you really want to accomplish with your giving. There are charitable groups for just about every cause you can imagine. Choose a cause and then find an organization that helps with or specializes in that cause. This will help you feel even better about your donation. - Plan your budget
Chances are, if you don’t plan your budget to include giving to a charity, you won’t end up being able to give. By planning to give, you will find that you will always have the resources in your budget to make that plan a reality. Write down the organizations you want to donate to in your budget and you will be able to plan to give more effectively. - Research the organization
Not all organizations are legitimate. You wouldn’t want to think you’re giving to a charity, only to find out it was all a scam. Many people will use an emotional appeal to get you to donate. Check out the charity online at Guidestar.org or the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org. - Keep records
Because you’ll probably want to file your donations for a tax deduction, you’ll want to keep good records. For gifts that are less than $250, you can just keep a canceled check or credit card statement. For donations of more than $250, the IRS will need a receipt from the charity that also says you received no tangible benefit in exchange for your gift. If you did receive a benefit (such as a small gift or a dinner), the charity will need to determine the amount of that benefit and give a receipt for the remainder of your payment.
There are so many tips to know about donating, and so many different ways to give. Giving of your time to charitable organizations can many times be much more valuable than giving of your money or other resources. Check out the facts about how you can help either your local community or a national or international organization, and make sure you make a difference in the lives of others.
By Janelle Walker