The Fiscal Times highlights four small steps you can take this holiday season to make a big impact. According to the 2015 Giving USA report, the average household donated $2,030 in the past year. This is not a huge investment when compared to the total charitable donations made in the USA in 2014, totaling $358.38 billion. The Center’s own Kat Rosqueta weighs in to The Fiscal Times’ suggestions, advising donors to do their research prior to giving, no matter how small the gift. “There was a time when, unless you were directly volunteering with an organization or doing site visits, it was very hard to get this kind of information. Now you can have more confidence that your money is going to do good.”