Tips for Supporting a Legitimate Charity

As the weather gets colder and the holidays approach, you may want to look into your bank account to see if you should take advantage of the tax benefits of donating to nonprofit organizations.  While most nonprofit organizations are working hard to make a difference and serve their mission, you will want to do a bit of research to ensure that your donation will go to a legitimate organization and that you can legally take a tax deduction on your donation. 

To find a nonprofit for your donation, start by thinking about your interests.  There are organizations making a difference in most interest areas such as animals, literacy, education, homeless, hunger, and illness.  Do a quick Internet search to find an organization that fits your interest.  You could even involve the entire family by asking each family member to bring their top choice and vote as a family or split the donation among the choices. 

Before you write that check, you will want to take a few more steps.  First, if you wish to take a tax deduction on your donation, you will need to ensure that it meets the IRS requirements.  Then take a few minutes checking the organization online.  There are several websites that rate nonprofits and allow others to provide reviews. 

Lastly, trust your gut when making a donation.  If something seems too good to be true or anything seems fishy, it is probably best to find another organization.  In addition, if a nonprofit is pressuring you, not disclosing their finances, or not willing to provide you details of their programs, they are likely not a valid charity.

Take a look at this recent post on The Blogunteer blog to find links to all these resources and some additional tips.  I also created a list of the Minnesota organizations that have been profiled by The Blogunteer.