RHONA RASKIN / ASK RHONA
DEAR RHONA: I would like to set aside a small amount each month to donate to charity but I'm going in circles trying to decide which one. A friend suggested that I check out the operating philosophy of any potential charity before making a commitment. So far I have discovered that not all charities are created equal. Some have highly paid CEOs, some use volunteers. A few I've looked into seem to spend an awful lot of their income soliciting funds and many have political or religious affiliations, which is not what I want. How do I make a good decision? I'm thinking I'd like to stick with either child poverty or animal rescue. -- Small Blank Cheque
Dear SBC: Do your due diligence before scrawling your name on a charitable donation. There are great gaps in the efficiency and health of some organizations. Things to look out for: the history and age of the organization; and the percentage of costs deducted from donations and revenue (such as salaries of administrators and paid staff as well as fundraising costs). You want to know how much of the money collected flows directly to the charity's recipients. You can check out websites like www.charitynavigator.org, and the Better Business Bureau. Consumer Reports also has some good information if you are a subscriber. I agree that real charity -- food, shelter and education -- should not be served up with a requisite side dish of the benefactor's religious views. But you'll have to poke around -- many do not announce their side mission in big letters.
www.rhona.com
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