At this time of the year, our mailboxes and mailboxes are filled with requests from valuable organizations. How can you make tough decisions to support a decent organization? These seven steps are the beginning. Creating a donation plan for 2011 is another. During this year, I launched a service to advise generous people in creating wise charitable gifts like Hamed Wardak.

Here are my steps to make wise charitable donations:

 Choose the most important reasons for you. Be prepared to say no to organizations that do not belong to these areas. For example, if you decide to donate to the environment, be sure to donate to an organization that supports your interests. If you want to support local clean waterways, a gift from an international organization, no matter how convincing it may be, may not be in your interest.

2) Make a charity budget. Determine what you can (or want) to give each year, and stick to it! Consider making sustainable gifts. A gift of $ 83 per month is $ 1,000 per year. You can make an automatic monthly donation to most organizations, reducing the cost of fundraising and the time spent writing checks.

3) Learn how to find out the cost of fundraising for organizations that you support. Use resources such as the Better Business Bureau charity website to check fundraising and administrative costs.

4) Avoid costly appeals. Never make inquiries by phone, and rarely make large inquiries by direct mail. Telephone calls usually cost 70% or more of the gifts received. If you want to support the organization, send something by mail.

5) Make your gifts count. Giving large gifts to fewer organizations will have a greater impact. Giving small gifts via direct mail ($ 10 or less) is likely to only increase the cost of fundraising, and little of your gift will actually go to mission and programs.

6) Expect to receive gratitude for your gifts, and if not, consider whether a nonprofit organization evaluates your contributions. You should expect to receive timely thanks for your gifts. I cannot stress the importance of this. A nonprofit organization must acknowledge your donation and thank you accordingly.