Tips on choosing the ‘right’ charity for a donation

The holidays are a time for charitable contributions to help those less fortunate. This coincides with the annual deluge of mail and phone calls from various charities asking for critical funds for their causes. But how do you choose a charity? How do you know they will really put your money toward a good cause?

According to a recent annual report on the “State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy” by University of San Diego’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences, there are nearly 10,000 registered 501(c)(3) public charities in San Diego. This is a large number of charities to sift through to choose the “right” charity. My suggestion would be to first weed out the organizations not worthy of your support.

Many of us already have a handful of charities we donate to annually. These are organizations we have already done our “due diligence” and know where our dollars are going. For 2016, make a New Year’s resolution to create a charitable giving plan and choose who, when and how you want to support. You would not buy a new car without “kicking the tires” to see if it works, would you?

Once you know the charities you are interested in supporting, start test-driving the organizations. For instance, when communicating with a charity representative, let them know when you would like to donate. A legitimate charity will be happy to receive your donation at any time. Organizations that pressure you to “give now” should be crossed off your list.

Not only should you be able to give when you can, but you should also receive updates on the impact your gift is making. Charities should be able to tell you how donations are used. Ideally, at least 85 cents of every dollar raised should go directly to programs and services of the charitable organization, with the minimal amount remaining to underwrite operational expenses.

An easy way to scope out a charity is to request an in-person tour to see first-hand what the organization is doing. Better yet, show up unannounced. Also request copies of the organization’s 990 form and annual audit. A reputable organization will be happy to accommodate and any hesitancy in providing an in-person tour or these documents is a cause for concern.

Another great source for information on charities is the Internet. Try visiting California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, Guidestar or Charity Navigator to check out your charities of choice. Or go to the organization’s website to get a good understanding of what the charity does and who benefits from your donation.

Here are other quick tips to help you choose a charity and avoid being scammed:

• Make sure the organization has a street address – do not send to a P.O. box.

• Never send cash or wire funds.

• There should be no hard sell. A reputable charity will be delighted to accept any day.

• Leverage your contribution. For example, right now at Serving Seniors, thanks to a generous long-time donor, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100,000.

There are many fine charities in San Diego who are worthy of your support. By following these tips, you will be assured your dollars are being spent well.

As president and CEO of Serving Seniors, I would like to thank all of you who have graciously supported us in 2015. We appreciate your generosity, and have been able to accomplish so much this year with your help. For those of you who haven’t made a gift yet, please “kick our tires” and connect with us to see what we are all about.

Happy Holidays all!