There are currently over one million charities and foundations in the world, but with everyone asking for donations, it is hard to determine who transparently gives to the needy, and who is out to get their own dollar.
College students participate in philanthropy and on-campus donations on a weekly basis in order to better themselves as well as to give to a worthy cause. However, recent research finds that some charities might not be as accountable as others.
An investigation by Charitynavigator.org, a nonprofit site developed for guiding intelligent giving, shows that popular charities are not always high-ranking ones when it comes to partitioning of donations. The site rates charities based on two categories: financial status and accountability/transparency.
For example, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is currently rated 83.20 out of a possible 100 points. The charity rates approximately 76 points in the financial category, despite a score of 97 in accountability and transparency.
The ASPCA is not the only charity with a questionable level of financial efficiency. Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a breast cancer awareness charity, received a score of just under 82 points, owing to a financial score of 74.67. In comparison, the National Breast Cancer Foundation received a four star overall ranking with a score of 96.98.
In contrast, some of the most trustworthy charities are among the less well-known. Givewell.org, a nonprofit research site which helps donors decide where to give, cites their top charities as the Against Malaria Foundation, GiveDirectly, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) and Deworm the World Initiative (led by Evidence Action). These philanthropies’ impacts on serving those in need around the world along with their high transparency ratings prove they are trustworthy donation sources despite their lack of household-name status.
While donating, remember to take into account what percentage of each dollar goes towards the charity’s programming, as well as the charity’s financial transparency and accountability. This way, even a small donation has the capacity to change the world.
