Search:

Choosing The Charity You Have Connected With

By: Alana E. Roberts

[ Posted On: 2008-07-30 ]

Now that you have spent a significant amount of time researching several charities, you are now ready to move on. Think about the issues that are most important to you, by making a list of the areas that you connect with and why. You may categorize them into many different topics, from caring about the environment, disease research, poverty, education or any other issue that resonates with you. You can then decide who you want your donations to affect in a positive way and why. Choose the charity that supports something that you feel passionate about.

You should decide whether you want to contribute your time towards helping people in your own community or reach out to the other side of the world by contributing in a humanitarian effort or sponsoring a child for example.

Once you have focused on your interests, think about the activities of the organization. Based on your interests, you can direct your donation towards research that will lead to new information and services which may have an immediate influence. Or your efforts may support and produce changes for the future. Most organizations participate in all three activities, but most have a particular focus on research, service, or support services. Keep in mind which of these activities are the most important to you and then engage in that area. Are you a detail oriented person who loves research, do you love customer service and administrative tasks or do you want hands on activities and to be able to lend support up front?

What organizations have you been exposed to in the past? How did they affect you? Are you interested in being involved with a large global charity where you can be a small part of something with a greater purpose? Or do you want to be involved with a small organization, where you are able to see first hand what your gifts are doing at that particular time. Your donation of time, talent or money may mean the difference of an organization being able to continue operating or it may give you the chance to be an active member of a community based organization.

Finding the right charitable organization that is financially stable and well organized is somewhat of a task and needs researching. You also want to be sure that the management of the organization is truly supporting the cause. You may begin your search by looking into the charity’s website if they have one. Their particular website should include contact information as well as the programs they offer to their clients. You should be able to access the financial information as well through the annual reports which you may request so that you may see how gifts and donations are used or dispersed.

Always research the authenticity of the charity you have chosen to work with. Some charities have been found to be mismanaged and the gifts not disseminated as previously stated. Be sure that your charity is legitimate before beginning any involvement. A website which has a wealth of information on charities, foundations and non-profit organizations is the Internal Revenue Services website. Another contact is your state’s attorney general’s office and the charities bureau. You will be able to access a great deal of beneficial information regarding charities located in your area and in your state.

A more detailed step in your research will be the verification that your charity is operating efficiently and is financially stable. As we stated previously, the gifts and money should be spent and dispersed as they are initially allocated. Again, you should be able to get this information from the charity’s annual report and budget. Generally, a charity should keep its administrative and fund-raising expenses at less than 25 percent of its budget. If you find that the organization is over spending in this category you need to ask some more questions as to why.

You may choose to select a new organization or an already established one. The size and the history of the organization may affect how your donation impacts the cause. If you decide to become involved in a new charity you may have the chance to be directly involved in the organizational aspect and perhaps the overall operations of the business. You can have a big impact on its development. However, if the organization is new you may risk the chance that the organization will not last in the economy as is the risk in all start up businesses. While with an already established organization you can be almost certain that the organization will continue to develop and that your donations will be used as was done in previous years. Your chance of direct involvement might be less with a larger established organization.

You should always be cautious in choosing the charitable organization you want to get involved with. You will be glad that you took the necessary time to research and visit those that you have connected with. When you do find the organization that you have connected with you then can make a sound decision to make a commitment to that cause.

You will be on your way to finding that purpose in your life. There are many ways to giving yourself purpose and doing what you are meant to do. May you take that great step in helping to enhance the lives of others. You will be glad that you did.

Article Source: http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard

About The Author: Alana E. Roberts, Life Style Mentor and Successful Entrepreneur, is helping many become the next success story. Whether you're looking to create an extra few thousand dollars per month, be an ex-corporate executive, or the next millionaire Mom Alana can assist you to create a second stream of income and greater peace of mind. visit : Success

| View Profile & All Articles By: Alana E. Roberts |

		Post Comment
		Blog This Article!
		Discuss Article in Forum(s)
		Publication \| Reprint Terms

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Charity Articles Via RSS!

| Category Feeds | All-in-one Feed | Other Feed & Syndication Options |

Additional Articles From - Home | Society & Culture | Charity

A Small Act of Kindness in a Cold World - By : Szandor Blestman
Some Simple Rules To Consider Before Giving To A Cause - By : Jon Klemin
Focus Humanitarian Assistance - By : Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali
Angry Fire Ants Attack Sleeping Children. - By : Wendy Stenberg-Tendys
Arnold Schwarzenegger dances with Rabbi Cunin - By : Chabad Lubavitch
A Call of Help: Save Two Young Tormented Oromo Refugees! - By : Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
Donations -- to Give or Not to Give - By : Roy E. Klienwachter
The Salvation Army Christmas Tradition - By : Alex Daniels

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email To Friends
	Ezine Ready \| Syndication
	Make PDF Article
	Share in FaceBook
	Post To del.icio.us
	Post To Furl
	Add To Google Bookmarks
	Submit To Propellor
	Add To Yahoo! My Web
	Add Main Feed To Outlook
	Post to BookMarks @ AfroArticles.com

	Post To BookMarkAfrica.com

| More Subscription Options |

Site Home

Article Categories

More Search Options

Site Map

Submit Articles

Top Authors

Most Recent Articles