There are approximately 257,000 charities registered in Australia. It’s impossible to give to all of them which means you’re going to need to choose which charities you want to support. It can be difficult to know which one is right for you.
However, you’ll find it is easier than you think if you follow these guidelines.
The Cause
The first thing you have to consider is what is the charity raising money for? Some focus on helping orphans, others on assisting refugees, while some are more locally focused and concentrate on saving lives.
You need to think about what causes are closest to your heart and then find a charity that matches those causes. This will allow you to give to something that means something to you.
That will make your donation more rewarding to you and will help to ensure you keep donating. Alongside this, you’ll want to monitor the progress of your chosen charity to ensure they are doing the work they promised to do.
Rewards
While it may not be the best reason to give to charity, you’ll find some charities offer draws and prizes to encourage you to donate. This allows you to get something back after making hundreds of donations. Of course, there are no guarantees but the prize is usually worth a shot. For example, the Surf Life Saving Foundation offers a home lottery where you have the opportunity to win a home. It doesn’t get much more rewarding than that!
Check Reputation
It is important to consider the reputation of your intended charity. You need to ensure they are properly registered to ensure they are actually raising money for a cause. It is also essential to look at how much of the money they take goes to the charity administration costs as opposed to the actual cause.
You don’t want your donation simply to pay administration or employee costs.
Consider values
Another way to help you decide which charity you should be giving to is to look at what values the charity has. These values should reflect your own. If they don’t you will struggle to believe in the work the charity is doing and that the donations are actually helping.
When you find a charity that reflects the same value as you it becomes obvious which charity deserves your money.
Your Impact Radius
In most cases, people like to give to local causes so that they can see the improvements in their local community and know they did a little toward helping that happen.
However, you may have a cause dear to your heart and this may be a global cause. If this is the case make sure you choose a charity that will have a global impact. These charities tend to be larger and have a greater reach. But, this may mean it is harder to see where your money goes.
The Bottom Line
You already know which causes you would prefer to support. Take a moment to look at what charities are operating in your area and follow your gut, it won’t let you down.
