A big discouragement for any giver, personal or corporate, is the fear that a charity might not be worthy. What if you write a check, and the money is wasted, or diverted to improper uses? 

Care is required in selecting the possible recipient just as you would any vendor. What is their reputation? Who has already had a good experience with this entity? What do their financial reports look like? 

http://www.charitynavigator.org/ is one website that rates nonprofit groups on their efficiency and reliability. Another criterion worth considering is membership in ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). Its 1,200 members have been screened not only for efficiency (keeping overhead costs under control) but also for governance structure (no nepotism on the board). The ECFA “seal of approval” is worth looking for.

Continue to: Smooth Mechanisms that Keep it Simple