Think globally, act locally when making donations

“Brother can you spare a dime?” Bing Crosby It is the time of year for charitable giving and near-constant solicitation for donations from an alphabet soup of causes and organizations.

According to national surveys from nonprofit organizations, about 30% of all annual giving takes place in the month of December with 10% of the total yearly donations received in the last three days of the year.

There are some practical financial reasons for the year-end timing of charitable giving as well as cultural and traditional reasons tied to the holiday season. As with most things, the needs (or at least requests) far outweigh the availability of resources for most of us.

Just like when we are shopping for our own household needs, it is imperative to do a little homework to ensure that your charitable dollars are providing the greatest good and are being used to provide services rather than six-figure salaries of the organizations’ CEOs.

Any giving is good giving, but dollar for dollar giving locally to smaller organizations and causes is a good way to maximize your donation dollars and help make your community stronger.

The United Way is a great option for those looking to make charitable contributions. The money raised is allocated to local nonprofit organizations with decisions made by local boards to be reflective of the needs and priorities of the community.

Other great places to look for making local charitable giving is through area community organizations. Service groups such as Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary and others do significant work in improving the lives of people in their communities. All of these groups work to address needs within the community.

Local churches likewise seek to serve the needs of the community or frequently make appeals for their own needs whether it is for capital improvements or for outreach efforts within the community.

Local food banks and shelters are also good places to make donations. Often they will have lists of specific needs that can be found on their websites, social media or by contacting them directly. It is important to remember food pantries and shelters all year long.

Other organizations, such as local humane societies and programs that provide low-cost spay and neutering are great options for those who look to help four-legged friends in the season of giving.

Regardless of who you give to, it is important to do your homework. Modern technology makes it easy to find out if a national charity spends more on marketing than in actually providing services or if a cause is legitimate.

Ultimately how and to whom you give is a personal decision, but when seeking to maximize the impact for your charitable dollars making donations it is important to think globally and act locally.