Charity Navigator Helps Donors Get Biggest Bang for Their Buck
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – MAHWAH, N.J., – Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities, is fearful that giving will continue to be down this holiday season as it was last year. The recession has hindered American’s ability to support their favorite charities resulting in the biggest drop in charitable giving in the last fifty years. Even if the economy continues to improve, it will likely take many months for charitable giving to rebound. That is bad news for the charities that largely rely on the year-end generosity of donors.
When you do give this year, Charity Navigator offers the following tips to ensure that holiday donations reach their intended good causes:
Seek out charities with capable leaders that are reasonably paid: Look for a charity with a passionate, visionary leader who has been in the job for a while. Make sure that leader is reasonably compensated and that the organization has a Compensation Committee that reviews the CEO’s performance and pay. Check out Charity Navigator’s 2009 CEO Compensation Study for salary data and related tips.
Look for financially strong charities: Use Charity Navigator’s free charity ratings to learn about the financial health of charities that want your support. If your charity is not one of the 5,500 organizations we profile, then use our guide and 990 finder or request that Charity Navigator evaluate the charity.
Investigate the charity’s outcomes: Learn about a charity’s accomplishments, goals and challenges by reviewing its website and/or talking with staff . They should be able to tell you about the quality and depth of their results as well as their capacity to continue to get these results, not just the number of activities or people served. This is critical step, after all, the charity’s ability to bring about long lasting and meaningful change in the lives of people and communities should be the key reason for your financial investment.
Check for evidence of questionable ethical practices: The best charities are transparent and accountable to the public. You should be able to see evidence of this in the information they provide on their web site. The media can also be a good watchdog in this area – providing reports on charities that have been found guilty of a crime or are under investigation – so check Charity Navigator’s News Feed tab for each charity you are considering. Remember that, even if the finances and results look sound, questionable ethical practices can be a warning sign of disaster on the horizon.
Consider gifts to human services charities: Charities that provide direct services to people in need experienced the largest drop in donations last year. Yet these are the very charities that experience the largest increase in the demand for their services during a recession. If you are passionate about helping the less fortunate in your own community, consider supporting these groups so that they are not forced to cut programs and services.
Trust your charity: After you have thoroughly vetted a charity, trust it to spend your gift appropriately. Donors who designate their donations for specific activities hamstring charities and can become a roadblock in the charity’s quest to do good work. Charities need unrestricted gifts so that they have the flexibility to respond to changing demands for their services.
“It is especially critical this holiday season that donors give not just with their heart, but also with their head,” said Charity Navigator President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Berger. “Smart donors seek out charities that are financially healthy, that have a culture of accountability and transparency, and that deliver lasting benefits for the people and communities they serve. If those who can afford to give, take the time to identify and support great charities, then we all benefit this holiday season.”
Charity Navigator is best known for its ratings, accessible at no charge at www.charitynavigator.org, of the financial health of 5,500 of America’s best-known charities. Charity Navigator’s website offers complementary tools and features to help donors make informed choices about where their contributions will be used most effectively this holiday season. Visit the guide at: www.charitynavigator.org/holiday.
About Charity Navigator:
Charity Navigator is the largest charity evaluator in America and its website attracts more visitors than all other charity rating groups combined. It is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization which accepts no advertising or donations from the organizations it evaluates, ensuring unbiased evaluations. As a result, Charity Navigator depends on support from individuals, corporations and foundations. Donations to Charity Navigator are tax-deductible and can be made on its website at www.charitynavigator.org/support or by mail at 1200 MacArthur Blvd, 2nd Floor, Mahwah, N.J., 07430.
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