How to Find Decent Organizations to Donate on Tuesday
Cyber Monday is almost over – which means it’s time for Charity Tuesday , a day to mark the holiday season by donating (yes) to worthy charities.
But with 2019 as an unofficial year for scammers and some fake charities to accept money on behalf of really worthy reasons, how can you ensure your donations are actually spent properly?
ImpactMatters, a new startup, recently launched a series of online resources to better help you determine how your donation is being spent. One such tool includes an “impact” assessment system; ImpactMatters has rated several nonprofits based on how your donation is truly impacting the communities in a positive way. They also have an “impact calculator” – if you donate $ 10 to a nonprofit, ImpactMatters provides a breakdown as to how the organization is likely to spend that $ 10.
To use the website, search for the organization you have in mind (or even refer to their “local philanthropy guides” provided by ImpactMatters verified organizations). From there, you’ll find its rating, an “impact report” with the methodology used to determine that rating, and an impact calculator. Here’s what the Food Bank For New York City ranking looks like:
A five-star rating means that the nonprofit has been highly rated for “ROI” in how it chooses to spend your donation. A one-star rating means that the organization is not meeting certain government standards, or that there are financial problems (or both) and the organization may not be spending your contributions to influence the community as effectively.
The rating is not perfect and ImpactMatters recognizes the potential downsides. With regard to Food Bank For New York City, for example, they note that its rating may “oversimplify the overall impact,” and may not take into account the nutritional quality of the food it serves to society. Nonetheless, ImpactMatters praised Food Bank for New York City for its cost-effective use of contributions; The $ 25 donation will provide food for 13 people in need, they said.
If you are looking to contribute to a decent organization and are not sure where to start, check your local ImpactMatter guides for charities again or search for a specific reason; Charity Navigator , another website that also reviews nonprofits for financial transparency, also has its own guide.
And don’t forget this helpful tip: donating things during the holidays is noble, but some organizations sometimes find it difficult to handle a large flow of donations in one go. (In this 2013 Washington Post piece, the two organizations discussed the difficulties of accepting such large donations without sufficient notice, such as having to find enough storage space or over-stocking one item while still running out of others.) Call ahead of time. make a donation; and remember, money is king.
And while the holidays are a great time to donate, keep in mind that charities and organizations need donations all year round. The organizers of Giving Monday said they raised $ 380 million in donations last year, which may give donors the impression that they don’t need to donate during periods when donations run out. Consider making monthly contributions to organizations that have been reviewed by ImpactMatters so they can receive your help throughout the year.