1. Random donations

Giving is a wonderful demonstration of generosity but sometimes it can be easy to get swept up in emotional appeals that leave you making donations here, there and everywhere.

You’ll make a more meaningful difference with your giving if you support one or two worthy charities doing great work rather than spreading your donations thinly across many different areas and organisations. Doing too little for too many can also leave you feeling ineffective as a donor and makes measuring your impact more difficult. Great giving uses both your heart AND your head to make sure you’re supporting the causes that matter most to you.

2. Not doing your research

Choosing where to give your charitable donations is a very personal decision. What matters to you could differ wildly from what’s important to your friends or family. Get clear on the issues you’d really like to support and then do your research to find out which charities are having a positive impact in that area. You’ll usually be able to view important documents like Annual Reports or Impact Reports that track organisational priorities and performance on each charity’s website.

Don’t forget that charities big and small deserve support. Sometimes it can be easy to overlook smaller charities in your local community that are doing terrific things.

Knowing exactly where your donation is going and how it will be used is an important part of your donor experience.

3. Donating only once a year

The research is in: giving makes us feel good! Adopting a “one-and-done” mindset that sees you give just once a year short-changes your own enjoyment as a donor and also makes it harder for your favourite charity to plan very far into the future.  

If possible, think about regular giving that will enable your charity of choice to have a reliable donation income and put them in a better position to be able to respond to emergencies or unforeseen developments, rather than restricting your charitable gifts to once per year.

4. Thinking that you have to go it alone

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to making your charitable donation as effective as possible. Often it can be so overwhelming that people don’t end up making a donation at all, out of fear of getting it ‘wrong’.

There are plenty of places you can go for help and advice, including a community foundation like Australian Communities Foundation. We’re a not-for-profit organisation that makes strategic giving easy by providing support, expertise and ethically investing your donation so you have more to give and can have a bigger impact the causes you care about.

Ready to give? Here’s how

If you’re ready to get strategic with your charitable giving, talk to the experts at Australian Communities Foundation today. Learn more