TIPS FOR SMART YEAR-END CHARITABLE GIVING: DO YOUR HOMEWORK

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By Paul Downey, CEO, Serving Seniors

Photo: CC by NC-ND via Bing

December 16, 2021 (San Diego) -- For nonprofit organizations like Serving Seniors, the holiday season can determine our ability to provide services and support to San Diegans counting on our help.

Nearly one third of all charitable giving takes place in December and 12% takes place the last three days of the year. One in four nonprofit organizations raise half of all donations for the year during the holidays.

The impulse to help others is among humanity’s greatest purposes, but don’t let your generosity override doing your homework. Two-thirds of the people who make donations don’t do any research at all before giving.

You might be receiving email requests for donations, see social media posts, GoFundMe pages and other personal projects. It can be overwhelming. How can you be sure your money goes to help the people who need it most?

Nonprofits sincerely dedicated to their missions are proud of its track record and happy to share information. Follow our tips to check as well as care.

 

  • Check one of the watchdog websites which study and rate nonprofit organizations. Two of the most respected are Charity Navigator, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. For example, Serving Seniors is top rated on both websites. Any legitimate, reputable charity will encourage you to look up their ratings.
  • Check with the Internal Revenue Service and state level nonprofit registries to check their status. In the State of California, the Attorney General regulates charities.
  • The Federal Trade Commission recommends this quick tip to catch a charity scam: Do an online search for a nonprofit’s name, or the type of service it provides, along with terms like “highly rated,” “complaints,” or “scam.”
  • Check BEFORE you click on links in social media or in emails or text messages you receive from organizations you don’t know. If the group interests you, visit its website instead. Or here’s an old-fashioned idea: call us!
  • Check to protect your privacy. Don’t ever give out your personal or financial information like a Social Security number, date of birth, or bank account number.
  • Check your monthly statements. Keep a record of all your donations and review your bank and credit card accounts frequently to make sure you aren’t charged more than you agreed to give.
  • Check whether crowdfunding accounts like GoFundMe or social media posts are legitimate. Some are, but the people setting up the accounts aren’t obligated to provide any proof.
  • Check the latest annual report. Any nonprofit organization has an obligation to provide detailed information to interested donors. They are often posted online. Reconsider giving if you can’t get this information.
  • Check your impulse to give. No organization should pressure you into contributing immediately, or make you feel beholden to give by sending unsolicited “gifts” like mailing labels, greeting cards, or calendars.

 

The competition for donations during the holidays can seem intense. Once you do your homework and find a nonprofit organization doing work you believe in,  you’ll get an A-plus and change someone’s life for the better in a real way.

After 26 years as CEO of Serving Seniors, it’s still humbling and overwhelming to be supported through the generosity of our donors. Many of them share what little they have with us because they believe in our mission, and these gifts are especially meaningful to me.

 


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