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Giving to Charities
On this page:
Evaluating Charities
- American Institute of Philanthropy
- National watchdog service whose purpose is to help donors make informed giving decisions.
- Arizona Secretary of State Charitable Organizations System
- Access to filings of Arizona nonprofits with the AZ Secretary of State. Does not determine if charity is "legitimate."
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance
- Collects and distributes information on over 500 nonprofit organizations and offers guidance to donors on making informed giving decisions. Also publishes the quarterly BBB Wise Giving Guide, available in print at the Main Library.
- Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona
- Check out local charities.
- Charity Navigator
- An independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities. Includes tips, resources,and articles.
- GuideStar
- Provides information about the operations and finances of IRS-recognized nonprofit organizations for grantmakers as well as donors. Provides access to IRS Form 990s which gives detailed financial information. Registration required but it is free.
- IRS Cumulative List of Organizations
- This online version of IRS Publication 78 allows you to search for qualified organizations to which charitable contributions may be made and deducted if you itemize your deductions. Some organizations such as churches and governments may be qualified even though they are not listed. The IRS does not endorse any charity.
- Federal Trade Commission Information on Avoiding Charity Fraud
- Provides a checklist and useful tips for evaluating a charity.
- IRS Guide to Deductibility of Contributions
- This publication explains how to claim a deduction for your charitable contributions. It discusses organizations that are qualified to receive deductible charitable contributions, the types of contributions you can deduct, how much you can deduct, what records to keep, and how to report charitable contributions.
The American Institute of Philanthropy has a detailed overview of evaluating charities and gives information on selecting a charity to support.
Online Donations
- Give4Tucson.org
- Give4Tucson.com is offered as a free service to the community by the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. Helps donors find organizations serving the causes they care about. The site provides a mechanism to contribute to those organizations, and also provides tips for donors to help them make decisions about their giving.
- Ministry Watch
- Profiles the largest church and parachurch ministries in the United States. It is also a place where you can learn about how to be a "responsible giver."
- Network for Good
- Donate online to a large number of nonprofit organizations. Also includes volunteer opportunities and information about donating wisely.
Direct-giving Websites
- DonorsChoose.org
- A website connecting classrooms in need with individuals who want to help.
- Global Giving
- GlobalGiving connects you to over 450 pre-screened grassroots charity projects around the world.
- Kiva
- Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. A person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.
- ModestNeeds.org
- Allows people to make donations to low-income individuals who need short-term help.