Donating to charity is a great way to support a local organization as well as help out your fellow man. However, not every charity is all that its cracked up to be. You need to take a good look at a charity before you hand over your hard earned money. There are so many scams currently going on that are disguised to look like charity. It's sick and sad but it is true. You need to protect the money you are donating so that you know it is getting to the right place. Before you hand over money without a second thought, you should consider a few things.



Giving money simply is not enough. You must know where that money is going. Even if the charity you give to is legit, you may not know how much of your donation is actually helping and how much of it is getting eaten up in administration and advertising costs. These numbers and percentages can vary so make it a point to ask. Most charities will have this type of information listed on their website so gather necessary donation information first.

A good charity will give at least 75% of donation proceeds to the program directly. No more than 25% should be spent on other costs otherwise not enough money is getting to the people that need it the most. With an unstable and unpredictable economy, taking chances with your money is hardly worth the risk. By doing your part as a donor of funds, you have a say in how they are used. Make it a point to have your say when doing your part to help out.

Charitywatch.org is one website that lists several well known charities and grades them all. This is a good way to look up charities and see how they have been scored and why. If this site does not answer your questions then do a Google search for further information. There is a large amount of results that will be able to point you in the right direction.

If you happen to come across a charity that is involved in less than legal practises then be sure to report them right away. Not only are scams unfair to those giving their hard earned cash, it's also unfair to those who really could benefit from that donation. Report all illegal or suspicious charity activity to your local police. These people must be stopped.

If you have any questions for the charity of your choice, get in contact with someone that runs the organization. They should be able to answer all of your questions in full. If they seem to be lacking or hiding information, you make want to think twice about donating. A good charity will have some kind of proof to show donors regarding how their funds help to make a difference. When choosing a charity you should combine your research skills with your personal judgement in order to make an educated choice. Review charities to the fullest, especially if you are not familiar with them. Make sure that your donation is secure.