How to Make Donations to Charity Responsibly!
How to evaluate a charity:
On Thursday, January 13, 2010 on NPR (National Public Radio), I heard a report about making donations to charity for Haitian relief. The guest on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" was from The American Institute of Philanthropy. The point that was being made--be sure that the money you donate goes where you want it to go--to the people that need the help. Now we have the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011.
I know of two organizations that will help you evaluate charitable organizations so you can give responsibly and help Haiti. The first is the one I mention above, The American Institute of Philanthropy. The second is Charity Navigator: Your Guide to Intelligent Giving.
The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) has announced its top-rated list of charities involved in Haitian earthquake relief efforts. AIP, a leading charity watchdog that issues letter grade (A to F) ratings of nonprofit groups. AIP identified charities which provide aid to the victims that receive an "A" or "B" grade based on the portion of their budget going to program services and their fund raising efficiency. You should contact the organization named for information of specific relief operations now underway.
AIP recommends that you give money and not goods at the present time.
Charity Navigator has published "Tips For Funding Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts" and a list of charities worthy of your support. Scroll down to see those.
On Saturday, January 15th, President Obama along with former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush announced the formation of a fund to help Haiti. The link to this very reputable organization is found below.
(The Public Domain Image is of a character that represents "charitable giving".)
To listen to an NPR story featuring Charity Navigator, click "Tis the Season to Avoid Charity Scams", click here.
This is a "legacy" article published in 2011. I do not update it, buy you are welcome to continue reading to learn about how to make responsible donations.
American Institute for Philanthropy
What this Non-profit stands for:
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), a nonprofit charity watchdog and information service, is to maximize the effectiveness of every dollar contributed to charity by providing donors with the information they need to make more informed giving decisions.
(From AIP's website)
A List of Recommended Charitable Organizations from AIP
This is the list that the American Institute of Philanthropy provided on its website for giving to Haiti. (that is Haiti's Flag to the right)
You can go to AIP's website for a link to each. Notice "Save the Children" is on this list. It is a charity that many RocketMoms donate to here on Squidoo.
*Action Against Hunger (A)
*American Jewish World Service (A)
*American Red Cross (A-)
*American Refugee Committee (A)
*AmeriCares (A)
*CARE (A)
*Catholic Relief Services (A)
*Church World Service (A)
*Doctors Without Borders - USA (A)
*International Medical Corps (A+)
*International Rescue Committee (A+)
*Lutheran World Relief (A)
*Medical Teams International (B+)
* Mennonite Central Committee (A)
*Mercy Corps (A-)
*Operation USA (A)
* Oxfam-America (A-)
*Project Concern International (A)
*Salvation Army (A)
*UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) (A+)
*World Concern (Program of Crista Ministries) (A)
*World Vision (B+)
About Charity Navigator:
Charity Navigator is an independent charity evaluator. They help charitable givers make intelligent giving decisions by providing in-depth, objective ratings and analysis of the financial health of America's largest charities. Use Charity Navigator's simple searchable database to find a charity you can trust and support. (from the organization's website)
You can Help Survivors of the Earthquake in Haiti by clicking here. You will find their tips for funding organizations that pledge to help Haiti.
There is also a clickable list of those organizations.
A Few Tips from Charity Navigator for intelligent giving to Haiti:
To read more information about each tip, go to Help Survivors of Earthquake in Haiti.
- Avoid Newly-Formed Charities and Give To An Established Charity That Has Worked In Haiti
- Do Not Give To The Haitian Government
- Designate Your Investment
- Be Careful Of Email Solicitations
- Seek Out The Charity’s Authorized Website
- Be Inspired By Social Media, But Still Do Your Homework
Another Tip from Charity Navigator: Do Not Expect Immediate Results, But Do Keep Tabs On What Your Donation Accomplishes.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2010 Mickie Gee
