Be generous but careful when you choose to give

According to the Giving USA Foundation’s yearbook on philanthropy released in June, Americans are the most charitable human beings on the planet.

The annual report reveals that giving in the United States reached $306.39 billion in 2007, topping $300 billion for the first time. With a U.S. population of just over 300 million, this means Americans gave away more than $1,000 per man, woman and child last year. Those numbers at least double any other nation’s charitable giving.

Every type of public charity receiving donations — arts/culture/humanities; education; environment/animals; health; human services; public-society benefit; international affairs and religion — had gains in 2007.

Individuals — not corporations — accounted for the largest share of this generosity, giving $229 billion or about 75 percent of the $306.39 billion.

In Florence on Friday hundreds will participate in the Florence County United Way’s Day of Caring as that group launches its annual fundraising drive.

Reasons Americans donate so much money to charity range from religious beliefs to the feeling of helping our fellow man to tax advantages to elevating status in society.

But when this much money is involved, there are times when people take advantage of others.

Since the dawn of charitable giving, there have been problems with excessive compensation and lavish expenditures among a wide range of nonprofits.

But don’t let these problems cause you not to give.

It’s hard to imagine what the fates of a lot of folks in need would be without organizations like the United Way and the Red Cross.

Some people choose to give directly to an individual.

Others use bigger groups hoping to have a bigger impact with their money.

It’s your choice how you choose to give.

If you choose to give to a local, state, national or global non-profit, you do so on faith that your dollars will reach their intended target.

Either choice is admirable, and anyone who has the means to give and wants to give should decide what’s right for them.

Before committing funds to a charity, however, feel free to ask the charity to:

—Clearly communicate what it is and what it does.
—Define its short-term and long-term goals, and how it will go about accomplishing those goals.
—Provide the progress it has made or is making toward its goals.
—Provide annual reports with financial records and reviews of executive compensation. The best charities spend at least 75 percent of their budgets on programs and services and less than 25 percent on fundraising and administrative fees.

In the end, only support a charity you feel completely comfortable with. If answers and documents provided by a charity aren’t convincing enough, consult the IRS or the state attorney general’s office for more information on the charity.

Odds are, you earned your money honestly. Take time to do the best you can to ensure any charitable gift you make is put to its best and fullest use.