How to Find a Cause to Support Through Charitable Donations

There are so many charitable organizations working for good causes that finding one you want to support can seem daunting. But there are a variety of resources to make the job easier - from traditional media such as phone books to new media such as the Internet.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Checkbook Wallets
• Phone Books
• Credit Cards And Loans

1. Look in the front of your phone book under "Community Services" or a similar heading to find local organizations that do charitable work.

2. Search the Internet using key words such as "philanthropy," "charity," or "donate" as well as words associated with the causes you are interested in, such as "animal rights" or "hunger."

3. Narrow your choices by asking yourself some questions: a) What issues make me react strongly, whether positively or negatively? b) Have I, my family or my friends benefited from someone's generosity in the past? c) Does my community need help in a particular area?

4. Read about an organization's goals and accomplishments to gain an understanding of the organization's mission.

5. Review an organization's financial statements to ensure that it uses its donations wisely. (See "Evaluate a Charitable Organization," under Related eHows, for guidelines.)

6. Select one or more organizations that support causes you believe in.

Tips & Warnings

• There are Web sites with searchable databases that feature charity profiles.

• If you use an online charity database, make sure the site offers current information supplied by the charities with their permission. A database that does this usually posts a notice to this effect or includes information about its charity selection process in the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section of its site. If you are unsure, e-mail the site and ask where it gets its charity information.