To which organizations do you donate money and why?

August 20, 2005 1:38 PM

To which non-profit organizations do you donate money and why?
posted by lois1950 to Society & Culture (36 answers total)

The animal shelter, because I like animals.
posted by JanetLand at 1:51 PM on August 20, 2005

Public radio, because I listen a lot and get a great deal of value out of the news programming.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 1:52 PM on August 20, 2005

Oregon Historical Society, because I believe local history is important

National Trust for Historic Preservation, because I believe it's important to save beautiful old buildings

Willamette University, because those were the best years of my life

And various one-offs to local charities, most of which are involved in infrastructure improvement or historic preservation. (For example, there's a local group converting an old rail line to a linear park; I donated to them once.)

My causes tend to be small. My wife donates to Big Causes: Planned Parenthood and OSPIRG, for example, because she's more concerned with change at a larger level. (I believe larger change is largely impossible and futile, thus I concentrate my giving at a smaller, usually more local, level.)
posted by jdroth at 1:53 PM on August 20, 2005

Oh yeah — we both donate to Oregon Public Broadcasting because we love it. My wife listens to it constantly. I only listen to selected programs (and even then, I pay to download them from audible.com). But it's a cause we believe in.
posted by jdroth at 1:55 PM on August 20, 2005

None, I reserve my money for lending to friends when they need it.
posted by mischief at 1:57 PM on August 20, 2005

PBS, because some of my favourite shows ever were brought to me by them.
EFF, because they protect my electronic rights.
ACLU, because they protect other peoples rights.
posted by substrate at 2:06 PM on August 20, 2005

Amnesty International, because I am a big believer in freedom of conscience, and they do practical work to prevent torture.

The Fred Hollows Foundation, who provide cheap to free cataract operations in poor countries. Because the thought of going blind when you don't have to is horrifying.

I make monthly donations to both those organisations.

I also make donations and do volunteer work at my daughter's primary school, out of enlightened self-interest.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:16 PM on August 20, 2005

I donate to my private high school, because I feel really fortunate to be able to reflect on my high school experience in a positive way.

I also donate to the ACLU, because I want them to exist if I ever need them.

Finally, I donate to Public Radio, because they are so relentless with the begging during their pledge drives.
posted by Packy_1962 at 2:40 PM on August 20, 2005

Public Radio and television, because I listen/watch all the time.
Habitat for Humanity, Oxfam, Amnesty and Medecins Sans Frontiers because I think the work they do is worthwhile
Modest Needs , because one day I may need that kind of help.
posted by darsh at 2:50 PM on August 20, 2005

You might want to take a look at the answers to this July 25, 2005 question:

What is the best Charity to give to on a regular basis?
posted by WestCoaster at 2:54 PM on August 20, 2005

Myself. Because I finally have a job and can start paying down (very slowly) my $150,000 in student loans. Non-profit, indeed.
posted by LilBucner at 2:59 PM on August 20, 2005

To a national nature protection association on a regular basis, and occasionally to groups like Wikimedia, Mozilla Foundation, Downhill Battle. Because I like to support their respective causes.

Related AskMe threads here and here.
posted by mumble at 3:01 PM on August 20, 2005

Local humane society, local Fund for the Arts, and the local Second Harvest group. ACLU and the Nature Conservancy when I can.

As a related question: which charities do you refuse to give to as a result of past bad experiences with them? Would that be equally helpful for the purpose of the original post?
posted by dilettante at 3:52 PM on August 20, 2005

I refuse to give to any PIRG groups, because one PIRG hired me to work for the summer when I was in college, lied to me, exploited me and refused to pay me. Then I returned to school, and found that other students hired by other PIRGs, had also had bad experiences. I don't want to support that kind of treatment of employees.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 4:05 PM on August 20, 2005

i give to various organizations but am quite unsettled about it now due to the fact that i now get overwhelming amounts of spam postal mail asking for $$ from both the places i have given and tons others.. grrrr......
posted by joshgray at 4:27 PM on August 20, 2005

Heifer International, because "passing on the gift" is a brilliant idea.
posted by nicwolff at 5:04 PM on August 20, 2005

I give to Public Radio and I my local food bank (at nearby food stores you can purchase a bag of groceries and place it in the food bank box).

I had a very similar experience with a pirg group (I got paid, but only $80 for more than 40 hrs. of work). So, I don't give to them.
posted by oddman at 5:16 PM on August 20, 2005

NORML, because my employer has no idea who the CFC # goes to. Also, because our current laws are an immense waste of money, time, and penal occupancy.
posted by buzzman at 5:42 PM on August 20, 2005

I focus my donations on children because they have potential. An adult in the charity system is likely to remain there; a child can escape and possibly have a better life. As such last year I donated to the local branches of:

Planned Parenthood
YMCA

I'm not especially comfortable giving to Planned Parenthood because I would rather not spend my money on politics.

On a related note, how much do people donate? I aim for 1% of my pre-tax income. It doesn't sound like much but it feels like it.
posted by hendrixson at 6:10 PM on August 20, 2005

ACLU and EFF are the only two major organizations I give to frequently, mostly because I'm rather worried about the hastened erosion of my rights in "the post-9/11 world." Also, I donate a box or three of canned goods to the local food depository every month.
posted by aiko at 7:08 PM on August 20, 2005

I collect my change, and every couple of months give it to the Red Cross or the Humane Society via local Coinstar machines. They spit out a reciept for tax deduction purposes, and it's anonymous, so no julk mail.

I also donate money and non perishable food to the local Catholic church where I'm a member, but I don't know if that counts as 'nonprofit'.
posted by spinifex23 at 7:54 PM on August 20, 2005

The ACLU and the ICCL get money from me monthly, primarily for their work for immigrants' rights and protection although I also support their work in other areas.

I give to Oxfam every Xmas.
posted by jamesonandwater at 7:58 PM on August 20, 2005

Amnesty, the Humane Society, and various health organizations (through a fund distributed by the United Way) and the Red Cross in particular.

Why? It's as much as I can afford per month. I picked all of my greatest hits in terms of interest in helping. I'd give to the ACLU but the Canadian version is barely an entity at all.
posted by dreamsign at 8:16 PM on August 20, 2005

I give 5% of my pre-tax income. I'm 24 and not making much money, but it's important to me to do it. With careful planning, it's easier than I'd have guessed. I also volunteer for several organizations, because what I can't give in cash I can give in time and support.

I give to the ACLU because I believe that personal freedoms are essential and in need of our protection.

I give to Planned Parenthood because I believe that my right to choose and my access to information is an essential right. I like their mix of large-scale policy work and local-level grassroots organizing.

I give to my local YWCA because I love their emphasis on working toward safer communities and policies that impact women everywhere.

I give to RESULTS because I like their emphasis on public policy--I tend to prefer "political" organizations because I think effective policy change will have a lasting impact, as it directly benefits communities of people on a large scale.

And I give to or volunteer with local theaters and arts groups, especially if they're using art for outreach and education.
posted by hamster at 8:41 PM on August 20, 2005

The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
posted by LarryC at 9:21 PM on August 20, 2005

I'm so surprised no one's mentioned Doctors Without Borders. It's pretty apolitical and helps so many people in so many countries without any (or very little) motive. I like them better than any organization that helps those in developed countries (ie: ACLU, NPR, Planned Parenthood) over those still struggling to survive, though I still do donate to NPR, Planned Parenthood, and Habitat for Humanity (which does do international work). I also donate to Amnesty International. (Now I know why I'm so poor... but who cares - I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and no one I know was killed for what they believe in or what ethnicity they are.)
posted by Moral Animal at 10:05 PM on August 20, 2005 [1 favorite]

I give to public radio, both my NPR carrier and my local college station.

I give because I listen to it.

I listen to it because it has no commercials.

It has no commercials because I pay into it.

Amazing!
posted by scarabic at 12:41 AM on August 21, 2005

Public Radio, because I listen to them regularly.
A number of cancer-related charities, because I hate cancer.
Mercy Corps because they do good work in neglected areas.
EFF because they understand and defend electronic rights.

There are a few others that I give to if they happen to send me a letter while I'm feeling flush, but those are all the regulars.
posted by mosch at 1:59 AM on August 21, 2005

I'm sporadic and scattershot when it comes to giving, when I have it I'll give to any good cause I happen upon and when I'm broke I don't give anything. A "good cause" is more likely to be a group working to change policy than a group providing aid, because the cumulative effect of my gift is greater that way. Regardless of my monetary situation I always make time to volunteer on the campaigns of political candidates I support.
posted by cali at 4:43 AM on August 21, 2005

i’ve donated to a whole range of charities over the last few years, but in general i’m most motivated to give to charities that focus on children and education. lately my focus has been mostly local charities.

i’ve donated at least 10% of my adjusted gross income the last few years.
posted by jimw at 8:06 AM on August 21, 2005

I donate to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Whenever First Amendment rights are under seige, comics and their creators, publishers and distributors are inevitably among the first targets.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:16 AM on August 21, 2005

I donate to Planned Parenthood because the pro-choice issue is important to me and I like their focus on sex education and affordable clinics in addition to the abortion-rights advocacy.

I also donate to the Lance Armstrong Foundation because my mother died of cancer six months ago, and she chose that organization for gifts because it focuses so much on hope and change (she thought other organizations were too wishy-washy "manage with what we've got" about the battle).

And I donate my time to the San Francisco Architectural Heritage Foundation and just signed up with Hands On Bay Area, which is kind of a clearing house for local charities that need volunteers. I chose both as a means of getting more connected with the city I live in and of "acting locally."
posted by occhiblu at 11:01 AM on August 21, 2005

United Way, for helping local organizations. I like the United Way because it's a way of supporting many different needs at the same time.

Red Cross, for international disaster relief. I've done some volunteer work for them in the past.

TRAS, a small Vancouver-based organization that does development work in Tibet, Nepal, and India. I'm currently on the board of directors.
posted by russilwvong at 2:47 PM on August 21, 2005

I try to tip well. Since I've been a college grad and everything, I find myself at places like the Four Seasons or the Beverly Hills Hotel sometimes, and the people parking my car or bussing my dishes are Hispanic immigrants just like the parents of my classmates where I grew up next to East L.A.

I've donated to the UN Populations Fund and the Organic Consumers Association recently, and I've volunteered to work on my local Linux users group's Web site. I think I like volunteering more than writing checks. I feel like I'm giving more.

Lately I've had to cut back on money donations, but I hope that since it's to save for graduate study, I'll be doing good in the long run.
posted by halonine at 4:21 PM on August 21, 2005

Amnesty, Amnesty, Amnesty.

Because I really, really, really hate political oppression and torture. Are you listening George Bush and supporters/apologists? Nah. Thought not. That's why I keep giving to Amnesty.
posted by Decani at 5:57 PM on August 21, 2005

My rule is that if I donate to a charity and they don't bug me all year about more donations, I'll give money to them again (I dole it all out around Christmas). So far, I've never given to the same charity twice. In case you care about that sort of thing:

Smile Foundation wastes tons of paper sending you big packets, even if you request no mailings. Even 3 years after I gave money I'm still getting mail.

GreenPeace isn't as bad, but still sends stuff at least every 2 months. ACLU sends mail at about the same rate.

NARAL is pretty good, with only a few mailings a year (except around election time).

WWF is the winner so far, with only one mailing so far.

This year it's probably going to go mostly to Habitat for Humanity, but just because I now have friends who work there, and I want to impress them. I think I actually support that cause a lot less than environmentally-related ones. Maybe since I have an in at Habitat, I can get them to give me the tax writeoff and take the money, but 'forget' to put my address in the system.
posted by yentruoc at 11:15 PM on August 21, 2005