How to Make the Most of #GivingTuesday & Charitable Giving

How do you know which nonprofit to give to? Or even worse, how do you possibly narrow it down to pick a few out of the hundreds (if not thousands) in your own city? Since I work for a nonprofit, I hear questions like these frequently from friends and family. 

With 80% of nonprofit giving occurring during the month of December (that's right, we truly do wait all year round praying for this magical month), here are a few ideas on how you can make the most of your charitable giving.

1. Ask your nonprofit friends. Chances are, you know someone who works in a nonprofit. And nonprofit people know nonprofit people. So if there is a cause you are passionate about, ask your nonprofit-employed friends if they know of a local organization doing good work within that area. Plus, if there's one thing nonprofit professionals know, it's which organization uses their money well. So if you want your dollar to go to a nonprofit that will spend it wisely (who doesn't want that?), ask your nonprofit-employed friends for help. 

2. Keep it local. This is my personal suggestion. Especially in the light of the current political situation, it's easy to get overwhelmed by everything occurring on a national or international scale. Local nonprofits are a wonderful reminder to us all that there is active change occurring on the ground level. Donate local and create change local. Start small, and watch the ripple effect. You can create the community YOU want to live in. 

3. When in doubt, community foundation it out. If you do not have a specific cause or nonprofit in mind (or if you're too overwhelmed to narrow it down), I highly recommend donating to your local community foundation. Why? Community foundations go over & above to study local needs and work with nonprofits of all sizes to do the most good. They evaluate, they dig deep into the community & they foster true growth.  Donations are invested, so that each gift creates a legacy that lasts forever (no seriously, investments = growth = dividends each year). For good, for ever. 

4. What is #GivingTuesday? #GivingTuesday is an annual, international day of giving that occurs on the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It is a philanthropic response to the sales-rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, encouraging individuals to reflect on what matters most to them & donate to a cause. 

If you have any questions about charitable giving or making the most of your donation,

 leave a comment below!