Article
• December 18, 2009
Read Up on the Ethics of Charities and Nonprofits
Figure out the best places to donate with Charity Navigator
Thinking of giving to charity this holiday season? Good for you. A recent survey suggests that generous Americans will give more than $4 billion this year via online donations alone.
To ensure that your dollars go to a legit organization, use Charity Navigator, an independent, non-profit watchdog group that is like Consumer Reports for do-gooders.
The in-depth site evaluates, classifies and rates the financial health of over 5,400 charities based on their IRS forms and financials.
You can search by charity name, keyword or category. When you click on a particular charity you’re taken to a page that has detailed information, including a breakdown of the ratings, charts that show expenses and revenues and the particular organization’s income statement.
The site also features opinion pieces by Charity Navigator experts, donation tips and top 10 lists that rank organizations in a number of categories, including “slam dunks” and those“routinely in the red” (and, thus, probably best avoided).
Do the right thing and make sure you vet your charity before handing over your hard-earned donations.
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