How to Choose a Charity You'll Feel Good About

Start with what you care about

Before you look at a single charity, write down the two or three things you care about most. Hungry kids in your county. Veterans finding work. Clean water overseas. Your church's outreach. Animals. Cancer research. It doesn't matter what other people think is most important; giving that matches your values is giving you'll keep doing.

Then get a little more specific. "Education" is huge. "Reading help for second graders in my school district" points you straight to a handful of groups.

Find three to five candidates

Look for organizations already doing that work well:

• Ask people close to the problem. Teachers, nurses, social workers, pastors and veterans' service officers know which groups actually show up.
• Search independent directories. Charity Navigator and Candid (formerly GuideStar) let you search by cause and location.
• Check your community foundation. Most counties or regions have one, and its staff know local nonprofits well.
• Notice who you already trust. The food pantry you've volunteered at, the hospice that cared for a parent.

Five questions to narrow it down

1. Is it a real, registered charity? Confirm it in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and, where required, with your state. (See How to Check a Charity.)
2. What exactly does it do? A good charity can tell you in one or two sentences who it serves, where, and how.
3. What has it accomplished? Look for results, not just activity: families housed, students who passed, wells still working after five years. Stories are nice; numbers and honest reports of what didn't work are better.
4. Is it well run? Read its Form 990. Is revenue stable? Is leadership pay reasonable? Is there an independent board?
5. Does it need your help? A small group may be transformed by your gift. A huge one with years of reserves may not notice it. Both are fine choices, but know which you're making.

What ratings can and can't tell you

Independent evaluators are a useful shortcut. BBB Wise Giving Alliance measures charities against 20 Standards for Charity Accountability covering governance, finances, fundraising and honesty in appeals. Charity Navigator gives scores based on finances, accountability and, for many charities, impact. Candid shows a transparency seal for nonprofits that share information with donors.

But a missing rating doesn't mean a bad charity. Most small and local nonprofits are never rated simply because they're too small. And a rating can't tell you whether the work matches your values. Use ratings as one input, not the final word. Read Charity Ratings and the Overhead Myth for more.

Call or visit

For a significant gift, pick up the phone. Ask what a gift of your size would do, what their biggest challenge is right now, and how they measure success. Visit if you can. A good charity is glad to answer; one that dodges questions has answered them.

Decide how to give

• Unrestricted gifts let the charity put money where it's most needed, including staff and rent, which keep programs running. Most charities value these most.
• Monthly gifts help charities plan, and are easier on your budget. Try the Giving Budget planner.
• Give directly. Go to the charity's own website or mail a check payable to the organization, not to an individual or a third-party fundraiser you can't verify.
• Keep records. Save receipts and log each gift in the Donation Tracker.