Bookmark This Page

Delicious Google Bookmarks Stumbleupon Digg BlinkList Ma.gnolia Reddit Yahoo My Web

A Handy Guide to Workplace Donations

A convenient way that many people use to make donations is through workplace campaigns. If you work for the government or at a corporation you often will have opportunities to participate in these programs. Added bonuses of donating through your job are that you can often participate in payroll deductions to facilitate the process, and your employer may match your donations. Here are some tips if you decide to donate through your workplace.

First, consider your own values. This will help you determine which causes are best for you personally to support. Many workplace campaigns will offer a variety of choices, so you will want to take time to reflect and decide which causes are most worthy of your money. Whether it is animals or orphans, the environment or food banks, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Next, you will want to consider what will work with your individual budget. The average is approximately 3.2% of income is given in donations. You can apply this number and decide if you want to do more or less. You can even break this down per pay period so you know how much will be removed from your check. You should consider the rules for tax deductions as well. The convenient thing about payroll deduction is that you simply need to keep copies of your pay stubs. You will also need a pledge card or documentation from the charity.

You will also want to find out what the prescreening criteria was when your workplace choose the charity. Some workplaces will simply create a list of local groups; others will look for ones that meet certain standards. Do your own research and see if the charity meets your own personal giving standards. Look for efficient fundraisers, budgets that allow for the most money spent on the actual programs, groups that are growing, and ones that have enough assets on hand. You can either check out a charity’s website or request information from them.

You will want to also find out how much of your money actually ends up in the hands of your charity. The fundraising charities that collect the money may have different levels of efficiency. The majority of their money should be spent on programs and less should be spent on administrative costs. You will want to make sure that it is efficient at getting your money where you want it to go.

Another thing to consider is your employer’s matching program. Many will match charitable donations that you make, including the ones that are made through workplace programs. This can help your charity receive more money, especially if your employer matches your donation dollar for dollar, as your charity will receive double the contribution you could have made on your own. If you want to support multiple charities, it also allows you to do so and still provide a meaningful contribution.

At the end of the fiscal year, you will want to follow up on your donations. See if your charity is following through on the promises and claims that it made. You can do this by reviewing their website, asking for an annual report, or speaking with a representative from the charity. This is also a good time to find out the charity’s goals for the following year, so you can decide whether or not to continue your support. Make sure that you follow all the instructions with your program, including filling out any renewal paperwork that you might need to keep your contributions going. That way your charity will have the support it needs to continue the work that you wanted in the first place.