Charities
One of the most well-known types of non-profit organization is the charity. Charities have been in existence for thousands of years and today over 600,000 registered charitable organizations operate in the U.S alone. But with so many worthy causes, how do you select which charity to support? Does your contribution no matter how small really make a difference?
The answer is yes. Most charities rely on the kindness of individuals to do much of their day to day work. The donation you give can be used in a variety of activities, from producing educational material, to lobbying governments and providing direct relief to the object of the charity's cause.
Given the competitive environment that exists in the non-profit world today, many charities have to be highly organized and actively solicit donations. Perhaps you've experienced this directly by receiving envelopes for donations in the mail or being visited by a volunteer collecting door to door? While it is worthwhile to give to as many charities as possible, many of us simply cannot afford to do so. This is why it is useful for you to select a charity that you respect and become a regular donor.
Do you want to find out how your donation is being used? Most charitable organizations will use between 50 and 60 cents of each dollar donated to work directly on its cause. The money left over should go to fund its advertising and administrative expenses.
You can check how organized your charity is by contacting the National Centre for Charitable Statistics, which collates useful statistics on every registered charity in the U.S. Among the information you will find there is your charity's annual report, which will detail how the organization is governed and run and how it spends the money it receives. In this way, you can ensure that your money is being well spent on a cause that is close to your heart.
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