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From the Bureau: Things to think about before donating
Is emotion or reason guiding your gift?
By Bobby Hansen, - Better Business Bureau
Nov. 3, 2024 5:00 am
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
In a perfect world, it would make sense to make philanthropic choices solely through sound judgment — always reviewing the facts and circumstances, identifying what the charity is doing to address the specified issue or problem, and seeking out third-party sources, such as Give.org, to verify if the charity is following accepted accountability practices.
Sadly, we know that objective reason does not always dominate donation decisions. We react emotionally to disasters, tragedies and humanitarian needs. whether experienced by a large population or our neighbors down the street.
Many of us empathize, especially when these circumstances are in the media spotlight, and we are prompted to donate to the featured cause as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, this is when donors can be vulnerable to those seeking to take advantage of this generosity.
To avoid this dilemma, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following advice.
- Give yourself time. Impulsive giving does not always generate the best donation choices. If you are being pressured to make an immediate gift, that could be a red flag that something is amiss.
- Recognize the choices. Diversity is one of philanthropy’s strengths. For any cause or problem, numerous organizations usually are seeking to address the same issue. Remember, no one is limited to the one charity that has asked for support.
- Be alert to exaggeration. If a charity appears to be overly boasting about its achievements, it would be wise to seek out facts that back up those claims. While some organizations can certainly demonstrate success, it should be based on true results, not just flowery language.
- Emotional motivations can be helpful. Sometimes emotion can bring attention to choices that might otherwise be overlooked. A family member stricken by a rare disease could prompt donations for research to cure a less popular cause. Emotional stories can spotlight these matters, but be careful if emotion is used as a ruse to get one to donate without looking further.
GivingTuesday
GivingTuesday is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. It is a global generosity movement and a day focusing on charity funding.
Year-end giving constitutes a large percentage of annual nonprofit revenue. This year GivingTuesday is a little later than usual and falls on Dec. 3.
The Better Business Bureau is always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Remember to check by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are interested in seeing a report on a nationally soliciting charity.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance strengthens public confidence in charities by promoting wise giving and trustworthy charity practices. Charities are evaluated, at no charge, based on 20 BBB Charity Standards.
Bobby Hansen is regional director for the Better Business Bureau Cedar Rapids office. Comments: (319) 365-1190; info@dm.bbb.org
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