Giving is good in any situation but it really is better to be strategic about your giving. You may consider strategic philanthropy giving in a targeted manner that gives your donations super powers. Here are some tips to make your money have the most impact.
Pick the Right Cause
Determining what cause to support is the first step of strategic philanthropy. You first must determine your reason for giving. Do you want to help the environment? Do you want to help children? Is there a cause that is close to your heart because of a personal experience? Well, whatever it is, pick it and then find the best organization in that category.
Make the Biggest Impact
Your giving can have more of an impact if you involve your family or close friends in the decision making process. This is especially relevant if you have kids. These children can learn the importance of giving to strangers and organizations and they will know they are helping the world to be a better place in a certain respect.
Do Your Research
If you do your research then you will easily learn which organizations are trustworthy and which ones might not be so much. There are several organizations including Charity Watch and Charity Navigator that help to evaluate organizations to determine how good they are. They evaluate for things like transparency and they even expose dishonest non-profits. Make sure to check one of these organizations to see if your chosen charity is on the straight and narrow.
Follow Up
After you do donate money to an organization, follow up with them to see what type of impact your donation has had. This is especially relevant with larger donations or donations that have had a specific purpose like funding a specific program. Follow up to find out the specific numbers and if your donation has helped any one person specifically, and how it has helped the organization. Once you do that, you will be able to donate more efficiently in the future!