For people who have been affected by a natural disaster or are in need of other services, the generosity of strangers is often necessary to help rebuild their lives. Donations to relief organizations, local food banks, and other charities can make a huge difference to people in need.

Many people donate to charity because they want to make a difference, but many have budget constraints and other concerns that make it challenging to give as much as they’d like. Here are five ways to improve your giving this year, no matter the amount.

Find something you’re passionate about

The first thing you can do this year is to find a cause you are passionate about. Differentiate between the causes you want to give to versus the causes people are asking you to support.

Eileen Heisman, GivingTuesday Ambassador explains: “I think a lot of people don’t really know what’s important to them. If your three best friends have asked you to give to three different causes, you may give to these causes but haven’t fully examined what’s in your heart.”

Create a budget

If you are looking to increase the amount of money you want to give back, consider creating a budget. This will give you a clear picture of what you have left at the end of the month and help you determine how much you can afford to donate. From there, you can decide if you want to spread out your donation over the course of a year or give it all in one lump sum.

Automate your giving

After you’ve created a budget and know exactly how much you have to give, pre-scheduling donations throughout the year will allow you to hit your goal. Similar to how you set up automatic payments on your bills; doing the same for charities means you’re more likely to give what you planned.

It’s fairly easy to set up automatic donations from your checking or bank account, and you won’t need to scramble at the end of the year to send in your donations.

Teach your family about giving

Sharing the experience of donating to charity with your family shows them that they can make positive changes in the world. Nurturing your children in this area will likely mean that they will grow up with a need to give in years to come.

Starting a family tradition of donating to charity is easy – try picking an organization, such as the Crewe Foundation, that you can all support and nominate a family charity each year, involving everyone in choosing which causes to support.

Organize your own charity event

If you have the means and the desire to help, organizing your own charity event can be a fun way to get involved and bring your friends and family into the fold.

Chicago executive Thomas Kane says you don’t necessarily have to have a large budget to get started.

“If you are a small operation without a lot of money to work with, hosting a smaller, more focused, perhaps even employee-only event can still generate big results. On a larger scale, gala dinners and annual events provide an avenue by which donors can interact in person and learn more about the organization. These are typically held by large scale organizations: i.e. hospitals, corporations, etc. Regardless of which platform you choose, it is imperative that the function is marketed to your target audience and supporters and reinforces the overall charitable mission,” explains Thomas Kane.

Lastly, if you aren’t sure where to begin, it’s best to research some organizations that pique your interest. Charity research tools such as Charity Navigator publish reports with pertinent information on nonprofits. The more you know about the charity, the more you’ll feel that your gift is making a difference. You can also follow respected foundations on social media to see first-hand where their money goes.

Published: 2020-01-16 23:12:49