GiveToWestVirginia.org: Plan Your Giving

Plan Your Personal Giving
- Step 1
To Give or Not to Give?
- Step 2
How Much to Give?
- Step 3
How Should You Give?
- Step 4
Where Should You Give?
- Step 5
When Should You Give?
- Profiles in Giving

Why Give to a
Community Foundation

Find Your Local
Community Foundation

For Professional Advisors

Create a WV Nonprofit

Information for Grant
Seekers

West Virginia Statistics

Grantmakers
Membership Forum

Step 4

Where to Give

CLOSE TO YOUR HEART
Your giving will have more meaning for you, and your commitment to giving will be easier to sustain, if you give to the causes that matter most to you. Perhaps a medical research group working on a cure for a disease that affects someone in your family. Or it might be an arts organization you enjoy. Or, you may want to concentrate your giving on groups that help children. Let your values lead your planning.

CLOSE TO YOUR HOME
Your giving will have the most visible impact if you give close to home. You are more likely to see, firsthand, the benefits of your gift, as well as the need for it. There, too, you are better able to investigate an organization or volunteer for the organization to gain an insider's perspective on it. Still, there are times when what is "close to your heart" is not "close to your home" but far away. When you face this situation, it is most helpful to remind yourself why you are giving in the first place and how it affects your standards and quality of life.

West Virginia has 26 Community Foundations that promote hometown giving and help donors shape their philanthropic vision, channeling your charitable gifts locally, statewide, and often, nationwide. Search for a community foundation in your area.

TO THE GREATEST NEED
The old saying "Charity begins at home" need not be a negative commentary on giving outside our own small orbits. Instead, consider it a reminder that in our efforts to be generous we should not overlook the needs of our own families and communities. Once those needs close at hand are tended to—by us, or perhaps by others—there will almost always be greater needs elsewhere.

HOW TO EVALUATE YOUR CHOICE
All nonprofits are not equal when it comes to fulfilling their mission or using funds efficiently. So before you give money to an organization, be sure to investigate it. Here are some ways you can evaluate a nonprofit.

Financial reports: Any worthy nonprofit organization will be willing to share its 990 tax form with you. With it you should be able to tell what percentage of the organization's annual funds directly support its mission and what percentage goes to administration. General standards recommend at least a 75% programs to 25% administration and fund raising split.

Annual Reports: Most organizations publish a report to the community about their programs and activities over the past year.

Strategic Plans: Ideally, your charity of interest has mapped out its future goals and strategies to get there. Ask them for their most current strategic plan, if they have one.

Create Relationships: Ask for a visit with the charity's executive director, key staff, and involved board members. If some of the materials you've already received raise concerns or questions, be sure to voice them. Organizations often have good explanations for their changes and insights into their shortcomings that you will find helpful.

Seek Out Your Local Community Foundation: Community Foundation's have an in-depth understanding of the community's challenges and the groups and individuals addressing them. Community foundations can also protect your identity if your wish to have anonymity in giving, while making gifts to multiple charities of your choice.

Step 5: When Should You Give?

Plan Your Personal Giving | Why Give to a Community Foundation
Find Your Local Community Foundation | For Professional Advisors
Create a WV Nonprofit | Information for Grant Seekers
West Virginia Statistics | Grantmakers Membership Forum