When you donate money, you want to be sure your dollars truly help others. Consumer Reports’ Amanda Walker tells us how to choose a reputable organization.
Duration : 0:4:12
Charity Donations: How to Give Smarter
Are Microsoft’s and B&MG’s donations charities, or investments for the future of Windows?
Let’s say I’m selling a product and at the same time I’m donating the same product to make sure people in emerging countries, like African countries, are getting used to it so they’ll buy it in the future. Is this a charity or an investment? If I pretend it’s a charity, can I deduct these expenses from my profit?
Only up to a point…the tax man ain’t as stupid as they look
Charities Strive To Help Needy Even With Drop In Donations
A new report showed charitable giving nationwide last year declined for the first time in more than 20 years.
Duration : 0:2:26
Donations to Charities for Xmas Gifts?
I’m looking to donate $$ to charities this year as xmas gifts to friends and family. Can anyone recommend a site that does this and send the person a card stating that the charity received a donation in their name?
Any local charity will send a card stating that you donated $$ in their honor. I give to the local food pantry; they all 100% volunteer so none of my $$ goes for administrative costs. Be careful with online sites unless you can research how they spend their $$. Some of them will take $100 and only a couple of dollars will go to the project/program you want to support.
Donate money to the local library for books.
Charities take a percentage of our donations as administrative fee. How can we bu sure they’re not misused
Legitimate charities publish an annual report, just like any business. This lists things like the cost of fund raising, what the officers are paid, rent and other expenses. Ask for one, and study it before you give.
NYS attorney Generals office publishes an annual report on the cost of fund raising in the state, check it at
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/charities/pennies06/2006%20Pennies.pdf
Tax Tips: Haiti Earthquake Donations – January 2010
If you are making donations to charities helping out the people of Haiti, watch this video for information about claiming those donations on your 2009 tax return.
Duration : 0:1:21
Does it strike you that many celebs and famous people make their donations to charities public news?
Do you think it’s just so they’ll feel good about themselves? Now, I know all celebrities don’t do this, but a good portion of them do!
Did you hear that U2 left Ireland to avoid paying taxes? They love to go on about how other people and governments aren’t doing their part for the flavor of the month. OTOH there are people like Dr. Dre and Denzel Washington. Dr. Dre donated $1m of his own money to the 9/11 fund and Denzel hangs out with the troops at Walter Reed. Denzel is so low key about it that the "rumor" was the subject of a snopes article.
DonorsChoose.org: The Colbert Report’s Charity of Choice
Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/12/15/Tis_the_Season_of_Giving
Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org, describes the charity’s goal of matching donors with unique school projects. He gives an example of one such pairing, explaining how Stephen Colbert distributes “philanthropic gift certificates” to guests of The Colbert Report.
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Matthew Bishop, The Economist’s New York Bureau Chief, and co-author of the highly acclaimed book Philanthrocapitalism talks with Lauren Bush, of FEED Projects, Charles Best, of DonorsChoose.org, and Scott Harrison of charity: water. The conversation aims to spark ideas on innovative ways to give this season. – JANERA
Charles Best founded DonorsChoose.org at Wings Academy, a public high school in the Bronx where he was a social studies teacher for five years.
He thought up DonorsChoose.org during a lunch conversation with colleagues, and his students volunteered to help start the organization. DonorsChoose.org has been growing since.
Duration : 0:3:0
What charities actually give the majority of the donations they receive to those in need?
I know the Red Cross fails to offer more than 10% of what they take in to those in need.
non of them do. all the have to give is a fraction of what they take in thats why almost every single one are crooks
how do I find which charities give the largest % of donations to the recipients?
Charities usually don’t hand out cash to recipients. They hand out services — food, clothing, shelter, training, etc. So, if a charity works to train people with disabilities in doing basic jobs, and most of the money the charity receives pays for consultants doing that training, would you consider that a situation where most of the donations goes to those targeted by the charity? If the organization buys a copy machine that allows it to make training materials for even greater numbers of people it’s working to train, doesn’t that also mean that the money went to serve the recipients?
If an organization uses most of its money to pay for staff, who provide services to children, the elderly, whatever, isn’t that also a case where most of the donations goes to those served by the charity?
There is no grand database of charities that provides information on how they spend their money. Instead, you will need to contact any organization you are interested in and ask for a copy of its latest annual report; this may also be on the Internet. It will show you how the organization spends it’s money — what percentage goes to salary of staff, what percentage goes to things like rent and utilities, etc.