The Internet has made donating to charity more convenient for donors and also has reduced nonprofit operating costs. However, one must be careful as there are risks associated with using a credit card online and there are scams appearing to be charities. The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) gives the following five tips for donating online.
Know the Nonprofit. Research the charity before giving to it. Look at their mission statement and their annual report. AIP says a nonprofit should not spend more than 40% of their income on administrative expenses. Also, at least 60% of your donation should directly support the cause. Finally, the charity’s website should clearly state the organization’s location and how you can contact them – both on and offline.
Make Sure the Donation is Secure. Whenever you use a credit card, verify the website’s security. Make sure there is an “https” in the address bar, as well as a padlock or an unbroken key at the bottom of the page. If the charity stores your information online, make certain they use current security measures to protect your information, or else request that the charity delete your information after the donation is processed.
Protect Your Privacy. Read the privacy statements before sending any personal information over the Internet. If the terms are hard to understand or you cannot agree to them, send your donation through the mail. Be watching for opt in or opt out choices on the online submission form. Usually, there will be a checkbox saying, “Yes, I would like to receive more information…” Checking this box will almost certainly lead to spam. Instead of marking this box, you should visit the charity’s website for updates on their ministry.
Give Directly. Do not donate through third party websites that give donations to hundreds of charities. Many of these donation sites will either take a percentage off the top or will keep your money for a little while in order to earn interest. You do not need to use these third party donation websites because most charities allow you to donate directly through their own website.
Print a Record of Your Donation. A confirmation screen or an email should appear once you have donated. Print this page for your records. If a confirmation does not appear, contact the charity immediately to ask if they have received your donation and then ask them for a receipt.
Protect yourself and the charities you support by following these five steps. For more information on donating to charity, visit the American Institute of Philanthropy at www.charitywatch.org.
Information taken from: Meg Massie. “Five Tips for Giving to Charity Online.” www.walletpop.com.
-- Ashley High is a Research Assistant at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non cash gifts online.