If you can, donate to your LOCAL non-profits or the local branches of larger non-profits. Get to know the people in those organizations (volunteer, visit organization open houses/orientations, go to a hosted event) and you’ll feel a lot better about where your dollars are going.

I used to be on the board of a local domestic abuse shelter and now I’m on the board of a local food pantry. Both are amazing organizations, both have incredibly passionate people working for them, and the board is filled with mostly normal working people who have or want to have good community connections.

My partner has a little with big brothers big sisters and that turned into a board position for him because he was super enthusiastic and active. That’s a bigger organization but his contributions are at the local level and we’ve gotten to know the local “ceo” as well.

Also, 501©(3) orgs must publicly list their tax returns and you can find out the salaries of the executives on those tax returns. So even tho in my experience, the executives of the orgs at the local levels earn every damn penny (and it’s def not enuf) you can also find that info out for yourself. But please remember that if a non profit doesn’t have an excellent, passionate and well paid staff, they will NOT be able to get the donations and funding they need to fulfill their actual purpose. I’m talking specifically about local orgs tho, some of those giant orgs with executives making millions definitely should take a closer look at their priorities.

And finally…if you can’t donate money of course there is always volunteering but there is ALSO serving on a board. Every non-profit ive been involved with has had problems filling their board seats with active, enthusiastic individuals. Sometimes there are monetary asks of board members but no one is going to kick you out if you truly only have time and no money. And if u experience that, find a better board, they are out there and they are working really really hard to make things better.

I donate regularly to a group which focuses on lobbying for progressive reform in the state, largely focused on improving healthcare access and outcomes. I donate occasionally to a local group which fights homelessness.

I donate because it’s important to me, the first group has a good track record, and I am fortunate enough to be able to afford it.

I donate small amounts to open source projects and content creators that .make stuff for everyone because I really believe it’s a great way of fighting capitalism and many of the problems it’s caused.

I don’t, but I should.
I don’t because my fear of donating to a fraudulent/ineffective organization aligns with my laziness regarding figuring out the best causes and procrastinating in making a budget.

Fear and executive dysfunction, together forming the perfect storm of neurodivergent inaction.

Lots of wealth hoarders are donating money to avoid taxes. A lot of charities profit from this and aren’t actual charities and it’s all down to syntax of what a charity is.

And supermarkets that ask you to donate is for their own PR(and why should a money monger benefit from anyone else’s good deed when they have plenty to donate or even pay their staff a living wage instead?)

So much of life is a layered lie and a scam.

Just save up your loose change and give it to someone outside the liquor store. At least then you know where the money is going. And it’s possibly the more ethical option.

I don’t usually donate to charities because the vast majority of the donation never actually goes to the cause it was donated for in the first place. However, I try to give cash to the homeless as often as Ican. On my drive home I frequently see homeless people and I try to give money and also bottled water that I usually have in my car. I don’t know what they’ll use it for, but it’s something I can do right there and then for them and I know they at least have the opportunity to buy some food / necessities, and I know they have water.

Just feel it should be pointed out that money isn’t the only way to contribute. Time is another. Volunteer hours are important for many charitable organizations too.

I have a few times but I’d rather donate my time.

I’ve been known to cook at community events and sort electronic donations at charities.

I try to donate a few bucks to FSF, GNU and Linux every year. Sometimes other projects as well. I don’t work, so I can’t do monthly donations.

Kinda, I go overboard on tips, I cover night out bills for friends, I round up on receipts, biggest charitable act I participate in is helping my dad out with an org his church is a part of (normal “doing the good works” kind of church that doesn’t do weirdo evangelical shit), and recently supporting the org my GF works for because I like bein’ a cheerleader for the schtuff she gets excited about :3.

I am poor, I live in a country with a fraction of US average salary and high expenses. Although I have a house and car, I also have a family to support. I barely make it as it is, so no, I do not donate money.

I only donate to the Red Cross, too many others are scammers, and I don’t have time to filter. I also don’t donate blood anymore as most centers near me are for profit and I won’t promote actual blood money. I am still an organ donor on the basis of “I’m not using it anymore and the rest is getting burned”.

Yes. I donate to various open source projects (e.g., KDE, Sunshine, Dark Reader), the conservation fund, the ACLU, and the EFF.

As for how, I try to do it via their preferred platform on an annual basis instead of monthly (if possible) to minimize fees.

Why? I believe charity is a path towards shaping the world for the better (and I can afford to). Rule #1: take care of yourself before taking care of others.

I donate to quite a few people close to me, as many are much worse off than my family and I are. I help them with projects, car repairs, house repairs, and dinners when things are tight. They never ask, I offer, and they’ll accept maybe 50% of the time. I keep good company.

I’ve also put a few hundred dollars this one election cycle towards a few select political campaigns I care about, especially now that I’m in a good paying job. Not something i’ve done before, and it’s not much but enough to at least feel like I’m helping get rid of fascists.

When I had a job I donated around €1500 to opensource software projects. For non opensource programs I paid exactly €7.