Giving Back
PREFACE:
I wrote this post a few weeks ago in the heat of the moment. Social media was (and is) buzzing with people suggesting places that would be worthwhile recipients of a contribution. I do unequivocally support the cause and believe Black Lives Matter but I also have worked for and with nonprofit organizations for nearly 20 years. I have seen many nonprofit organizations run by unscrupulous individuals take advantage of a moment to make money. So I wanted to write this post to make sure people made contributions to organizations that they believed would use the money in a worthwhile fashion.
However, right before posting this, I decide it wasn’t the time to promote the organizations I support. Not that I don’t believe in their mission, but there were bigger concerns in the world and it seemed inappropriate to write a post about safeguarding your contribution and then promote organizations that, while great, don’t have the charitable purpose of specifically fighting policy brutality. So I made a quick change and prepared a different post.
I do still believe it is important to research the organizations that you are contributing to in order to ensure your money is used wisely. So, I now post the original post, unchanged from a few weeks ago with the exception of this preface.
POST:
We are living in difficult times. A virus has ravaged our country to the tune of over 100,000 dead and 40 million people without a job. Police are brutalizing black Americans which has raised protests around the country and the world. Everyone is confused and scared and worried about the future.
I’m right there with you. I don’t have any answers for you. If I did I would be running for President since our current one obviously doesn’t have a clue what he is doing. Honestly, all I’m trying to do is keep my family healthy, happy, and raising kids that aren’t assholes.
With all this pain around us I believe that it is important to give back but to educate yourself before you decide. Giving a charitable contribution to a nonprofit, no matter how small or how big, can help to further a cause that you believe is worth supporting. However, there are also many organizations that will take your money but won’t really use it in the ways you want. So before you choose an organization make sure to do some research. Here are a few things to do before you contribute to an organization.
Decide on your cause: Really think about the causes you want to support. Every charity will always be asking for money. They have to because that is how they can serve their charitable purpose so you may feel the draw to give all the time. I think it is important that you pick one or two causes that mean the most to you so you can focus how you give. Maybe your cause is education, or cancer research, or social justice, or artistic pursuits, or museums, or animal rights, or, or, or. Find what means the most to you.
Find a charity: According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics more that 1.5 million nonprofit organizations are registered in the U.S. That is a lot of nonprofit organizations. So the easiest way to find a charity is to simply do an online search (let’s be honest, you are using Google) using the cause of your choice and charity. For example, if you want to support education search “education charity” and then you will get a long list of items.
I suggest narrowing your search to a specific location. I believe that supporting a local charitable organization is much more powerful than a national charity depending on the cause. While your donation to a national charity to support cancer research may be better than a local cancer charity, a contribution to a local education charity may go further than a national education charity. See if you can find a charity for your cause that is based in your area.
Vet your charity: This is the most important part of your plan. You have a cause, you have a charity, now make sure your charity of choice is using your funds responsibly. Not all charities are created equal. A part of every dollar you contribute will need to be used to operate the charity so don’t be alarmed if you see your charity using some of your contributions for management and general expenses. It has to happen or the charity wouldn’t be able to operate. However, there are some guidelines that are helpful.
The Better Business Bureau suggests that a charity should use at least 65% of their expenses towards program activities. But how can you find out about your charity of your choice? The easiest way is to do some research on your charity at guidestar.org, charitynavigator.org, charitywatch.org or givewell.org. Each of these sites reads through nonprofit tax filings and documents so you don’t have to and will give you a ranking of your charity. Just review the sites and make sure your charity is reputable.
Donate: Pick your dollar amount and contribute. Nonprofits appreciate a recurring gift to provide continued support throughout the year. Organizations also prefer an unrestricted gift. That means donating to the charity for ongoing activities instead of for a single project or program. This will help your chosen charity continue doing the work you believe in.
In my opinion, the most important thing is to find a cause that is meaningful to you. I’ll share a few of my choices and why but that doesn’t mean you should contribute to these organizations. More importantly is to give back to your community in an amount that you can afford to a cause that you believe in. Pick a cause, find a charity, do some research, and donate. It will make you feel good.
Education is the foundation of everything our society is built on and I believe in supporting those who educate. My mom is a retired teacher, my sister is a teacher, and Rizzo is a teacher. I graduated from Loudoun County Public Schools and I'm proud to serve as an Honorary Trustee. LEF celebrates and supports the education in Loudoun County, Virginia through classroom grants, the Excellence in Education Banquet, the Outstanding Teachers Banquet, and other wonderful programs.
Rizzo and I have been season ticket holders at NextStop Theatre Company since 2012 and plan to continue to support our local theater. However, ticket sales are only a small part of how NextStop continues to provide quality shows at low prices. NextStop also receives support through tax deductible donations. Go ahead, give them a few bucks and make sure to come out to the next show at NextStop.
