Checklist for making effective donations

I've mentioned before how much I respect volunteering and also how valuable donating can be. I decided to post a few quick tips on ways to get more bang for your donation buck, but as I looked more and more into it, deciding where to direct your money can be a fairly laborious process! So, here's a handy list that you can follow as you decide on your holiday giving. You probably won't have time for all of these, but if you are able to check off a few, feel content that you've made that money work hard for you and those who need it.

• Instead of throwing change to people on street corners who may not be legit, deposit/Coinstar that change and write a check to a reliable cause that resonates strongly with you.
• Look into your employer's matching policy for charitable giving; forward that information to some of your colleagues.
• Investigate charities through third-party rating groups such as Charity Navigator or the American Institute of Philanthropy. Better yet, look at the charity's financial statements.
• Reinforce your giving behavior by seeing the good effects of your donation. An easy way to do this is to browse the charity website; nice ones will have photos and/or success stories to make you feel good about your giving. Like going through souvenirs and snapshots from a vacation, it helps extend the positive experience from your one action. It might feel so nice, you'll decide to give again soon.

A few NPR stories on giving:
Rating the Performance of Charities
Charity Stress