Appeals for financial and material donations are solicited by countless charitable organizations. The IRS Exempt Organizations Section has put together a short course to help you understand what is a deductible charitable contribution and what is not. It also covers amount and types of deductible contributions, what records to keep and how to report contributions. Can I Deduct My Contribution?




If you want to research a charity before donating there are several tools to help you evaluate. 
Three of the top choices are below.

Charity Navigator
is an independent charity evaluator, working to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of over 5,300 of America's largest charities.

BBB Giving Wise
The mission of the BBB is to advance marketplace trust by setting standards for marketplace trust.  This should be viewed as one tool in how to evaluate a charity.


GuideStar allows users to verify a nonprofit's legitimacy, learn whether a contribution will be tax deductible, view a nonprofit's recent Forms 990, or find out more about its mission, programs, and finances. This basic service is available for free. 



Thinking about joining the board of a charity?
What does a good board member do? Raise money? Stuff envelopes? A good board member helps the organization stay focused on its mission. Thus, the most important job of all board members is to be informed and to govern. This article addresses basic governance issues and what to look for on a well run board.  The Not For Profit Board Member Checklist