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Maximizing the Impact of Your Non-Cash Charitable Donation

Every year people donate money and items to charity. If you decide to donate your household goods instead of cash, there are some things that you should consider ahead of time.

The first thing you will want to consider is whether someone else can use your items. In general, if the item is something that can no longer be used by you, then your charity is not going to be able to use it either.

If the items that you are looking to donate are useful, you can consider selling them first and donating the proceeds to your charity. Cash is a lot easier for the charity to use and for you to claim on any tax returns. You can also help your charity maximize its profits by cutting out the middle men they would need to pickup, deliver, and sell your donations. You can consider online auctions, garage sales, or for sale ads in your local paper.

If you decide that it is better to donate the items themselves, always think locally. This means that there will be fewer charges to the charity to pick up items, or that you can even deliver the items themselves. Plus, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are doing something to better your own community.

However you decide to donate your items, you will want to make sure that you get a receipt, especially on higher-value items. Your charity should be able to provide you with these. You will then want to save these receipts for tax time so that you can properly itemize your charitable donations.

Another thing to consider before donating your items is to make sure that you find a good charity. Some are better at using donations for their cause than others.

First, look for a charity that can communicate what it does. It should have a clear mission statement and be able to describe its programs. By being able to do this it shows that they are focused on making a difference in their given field. It also helps you to weed out the ones that are scams or simply out to get your well meant dollars.

Next, you will want a charity that can define its goals, both in the short and long term. If they are unable to do this, they really have no way to prove that they are successful and are making good use of your donations.

Along similar lines, your charity should be able to tell you the progress it has made toward the goals that you have. With so many charities out there, you want to make sure that you have a charity that is actually accomplishing goals and will make good use of your donation. Ask for proof on what they are doing.

Next, ask yourself if the charity makes sense in how it accomplishes goals. The ends do not always justify the means, so make sure that you agree with everything that the charity does, not just the end cause that they are supporting.

Also, you want to decide if you can trust your charity. Most charities are actually honest and well-managed. However, there are scams out there. You should always feel comfortable with the charity of your choice. Do what ever you need to do to make sure that you are comfortable with your decision. Your charity should be willing to provide you with any information that you need.

Also, consider if you are willing to make a long-term commitment to the charity of your choice. Since ultimately, the goal of your donation is to make a difference for your cause. Finding the right charity is being able to find one that you can use for a long time to make your donations.