Guide to Giving

Today, we shift our focus from the point of view of the fundraiser, to the perspective of the donor. If you are a businessman working in the private sector looking to get involved in philanthropy, chances are you have already been approached by several organizations seeking your support. But how do you decide which organizations are worth your valuable time and money?

There are several methods I would suggest to determining which organizations to support:

1. Create a focus: What are the causes that resonate with you?
Are you passionate about the environment?: creating green companies, support for parks and reservations, clean air and water, etc.
Do you believe in the need to improve the community?: issues such as homelessness, services to improve the inner-cities, community centers, after school programs for youth, etc.
Are you interested in local, national or international causes?

Once you choose a focus begin to consider what type of involvement you would like to have.

3. Level of involvement:
Volunteering: are you seeking an organization that allows you to have hands on involvement with their projects?
Fundraising: would you like to contribute to the organizations fundraising efforts?
Donor: are you looking to make a monetary donation?
Board Member: would you like to both make a monetary donation and contribute to the direction of the organization and its fundraising efforts.

Once you have made these choices you can begin to look at specific organizations.

4. Choosing an organization:
There are several sites which allow you to search for organizations and volunteer opportunities.
Idealist is a comprehensive site which offers a variety of search choices such as: People, Organizations, Volunteer Opps, Events, Programs and more. I like this site because it is user friendly and offers great summaries as well as news updates.
Another great site is Charity Navigator. This site provides specific ratings for organizations based on a variety of factors. It allows you to browse by category, top 10 lists, hot topics and more. Previously, this site rated charities based on their financial health. However, as of September 20th they have created what they are calling a 2-dimensional rating scale which includes an evaluation of a charity's accountability and transparency in addition to its financial health. They will still use a comprehensive 5-star rating for all 5,500 charities listed.
Of course, word of mouth is always a great tool as well. Talk to your co-workers, friends and family about their experiences and perhaps you can even join an organization together.

Finally, the simplest step is reaching out to the organization by phone, email or visiting their offices, and you are on your way to making a difference!