Around the world, the end of the year marks a time of reflection, celebration, and giving. In the US, the last three months of the year account for an estimated 34% of giving, with December accounting for 17% (the greatest percentage of any month). This is driven by good will, and also by the timing of the tax year; many round out their giving now to take advantage of charitable deductions.
As 2016 winds down, how do you make sure your gift makes an impact, even if you don’t have the time to thoroughly research nonprofits yourself?
Unlike a decade ago, donors no longer need to spend days doing their own due diligence or trying to interpret tax returns in the hope of identifying a nonprofit worthy of their gift. Organizations like our center now exist to do much of the legwork so that individual donors can get to impact faster and with more confidence.
The opportunities profiled in our High Impact Giving Guide—and many more on our website—offer specific high impact options that our team has analyzed for program efficacy and cost-effectiveness. The guide also features links to additional resources (like Guidestar, GreatNonprofits, and GiveWell, to name a few) to help you better understand the causes you care about and identify nonprofits to support.
No matter what issue you care about, these resources can help donors make sure their annual giving reflects more than just generosity and good intentions; it allows for positive social impact year-round. Happy holidays, and happy giving.