It doesn’t happen often enough – the public sharing of charitable business owners and businesses as donors to events and non-profit organizations as a way to raise money. 

Sometimes it is because the company owner doesn’t want or expect public acknowledgement. Sometimes it is because history dictates that we don’t do this type of thing. But when the perfect moment arises, it sometimes makes sense to show the clever ways that businesses all over the United States are giving back to good causes, to help float the idea to other area businesses. 

In the case we will talk about today, the company is 7 hours, or about 425 miles away from the non-profit it is supporting. We won’t be talking about the owner’s of the company, but how strategic asking can lead to helpful donations and good relationships in the non-profit community – especially at the local level. 

In the grand scheme of things the mostly localized organization REACH (formerly C.A.S.A. – Center Against Sexual Assault of Southwest Riverside County), serves a hyper local clientele int he Valley, and operates in the much needed trauma and sexual survivors field, providing services to those who have been assaulted in a number of ways, including those who have been human trafficked, child abuse victims and sexual assault survivors.

Because of the unique and delicate types of services that REACH provides, the organization launched a Yearly fundraising and recognition Gala for those who support the good work they do, and in order to raise for future needs of the organization. It was aptly named “Hearts of Gold Gala”. It’s been successful so far, and the future looks big for the annual event once COVID clears up enough to make face to face events like this more realistic. The most recent event was part live, part recorded and served with a live audience (viewing individually from home).

It was successful in raising funds to finish a project that helps record interviews for child abuse victims that will lead to proper adjudication of the perpetrators and also properly addressing future trauma informed care for those children. A setup like the one REACH was raising money for is expensive because it has exceptionally high standards for the build, because California state court compliance is hard for an off-site location. 

Local businesses and philanthropists have been very supportive of REACH (formerly C.A.S.A.) in the past, and continue to be. But branching out to look for new donors and others who can buy-in to the cause that REACH works on is important for continued growth – especially considering that the organization works in a field that is growing (unfortunately).

It seemed a perfect fit to have a “Loveseat” for auction at the Gala event, considering it’s geared towards loving charitable donors, who donate for the love of children and victims of horrific crimes against them that they were powerless to stop. Furthermore, the “Hearts of Gold Gala is held around or on Valentine’s Day each year. 

The Loveseat auction item wasn’t the most expensive item on the block – there were generous donations by Hemet area businesses and individuals as well, but it was a great piece to highlight considering the cleverness of the donation. And it helps to highlight the fact that it doesn’t really matter where you are located, or if you can directly see benefit in your local community – donations to quality 501c organizations that tackle tough issues can be important, even if you donate from hundreds of miles away.

You can find information about the “Hearts of Gold Gala” run by REACH (Formerly Center Against Sexual Assault) by clicking the link.

You can find out more about REACH as an organization by clicking the link. 

You can find out more about the Furniture Store that made the Custom Loveseat donation – WhatARoom Furniture, that serves the San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, and the San Francisco Bay areas locally, and ships anywhere in the USA, by looking at their modern, contemporary and minimalist furniture offerings, including 100% custom made in the USA sofas and sectionals by clicking the links.

We’d love to hear about your favorite donations or creative ways to raise funding for good causes like those that REACH offers the Hemet and San Jacinto Valley and beyond.  

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• The “RamonaThon” can be accessed at www.RamonaBowl.com or on their Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube Channel.
• The Coronavirus has shutdown the Ramona Bowl venue for the past year 
• The fundraising event is to help preserve Ramona and the Ramona Bowl 
• The virtual event will feature a collection of historic footage, interviews, crew,  volunteers, and highlights of the community participation and support to keep the 100-year tradition alive

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The Center Against Sexual Assault of Southwest Riverside County is now called REACH. 

The announcement for this change was made during the organization’s Annual Fundraising Event: The Hearts of Gold Valentine Gala.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRs04uhdPwU

The general mission of the organization has not change materially, except they now brand the organization differently and highlight the diversity of service offerings, clients they serve and their ability to serve victims of trauma, including child abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking. 

The organization utilizes both an educational preventative model and offers post trauma services including advocacy, counseling, victim/survivor services and other options.

Formerly C.A.S.A. or Center Against Sexual Assault, REACH has been a critical part of the Inland Empire community for decades.

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C.A.S.A. Hearts of Gold Gala Aims To Help End Child Abuse in the San Jacinto Valley

[Hemet, CA, February 8] C.A.S.A. of Southwest Riverside County invites the community to celebrate love and support its mission to end child abuse in the San Jacinto Valley by attending the Hearts of Love Gala on February 8, 2020, at the newly renovated Soboba Springs Country Club. In addition to top-tier food and dancing, the highlight of the evening will be a piano performance by Matt Fetbrandt, a graduate of Hemet High School, now international piano entertainer who is based out of Los Angeles.

The evening will begin with a cocktail hour and a chance to bid for silent auction items and opportunity drawings. A brief program about C.A.S.A.’s mission and services to help end child abuse will follow, just before dinner. After dinner the fun will begin with Matt at the piano. Guests are encouraged to request their favorite love songs (for $10 per song) and dance the night away. This celebration of love is the perfect combination of a formal night on the town, and a chance to contribute to building a healthier, happier community.

To purchase tickets or more information, please contact Kathy Callicott at (951) 634-8972.

C.A.S.A. Center Against Sexual Assault of Southwest Riverside County is a non-profit organization serving survivors of sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and other trauma. C.A.S.A. assists survivors and their families with crisis counseling, advocacy, and support groups, educates the community on these issues, including prevention techniques and referral resources, and partners with law enforcement, schools, and other community agencies to assure that survivors receive the most effective help available.

Matt Fetbrandt graduated from Hemet High School in 2003 and went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. Matt is a dynamic pianist, vocalist, and international piano bar entertainer based in Los Angeles. Matt is a regular entertainer at Hollywood’s premier piano bar, Tramp Stamp Granny’s, opened in 2018. His style is distinctively high-energy, immersive, and just downright fun! As a freelance musician, Matt has traveled to major cities across the United States where he has music directed and performed in numerous concerts, musical theater shows, and cabarets. For more information, find Matt online at: www.mattplayspiano.com.

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AS A CASUAL SUPPORTER:

• Be aware of all events and be willing to spend on a ticket for you and a plus one. If you don’t want to be at the event or cannot attend, gift the ticket purchase to a worthy recipient and make the purchase anyway.
• Be willing to share on social media if something makes sense to your particular friends/fans to further the goals of the organization. Share feedback if the content is uncomfortable to share or out of line with your audience/sphere of influence.
• Set aside between $150 and $1500 a year as a donation and earmark it to a general fund item. If you increase the amount, at some point it will make sense to specify the donation to be used on a pet project but at these levels, recognize the importance of general operating funds, especially for fully grant funded organizations.
• Be willing to share skills that you have that can improve the organizations offerings. This doesn’t need to be in the day-to-day operations per se, but could also be in marketing or promotional efforts to help solidify their reputation among new demographics, etc.
• Don’t ask for favors unless you’ve been approached and told you can or should. It’s not because you haven’t been generous, but because it can cause a large strain on events or during normal operations to make you feel like a celebrity. As a casual supporter, it’s OK to ask for special one-offs, if management makes it clear that they want you to take advantage of such offers.
• Make sure you understand the elevator pitch and the specific mission and vision of the organization and that you are referring donors and volunteers to the correct point person.

AS A MAJOR DONOR

• Be willing to attend at the very minimum, the annual event fundraiser and to make a big showing there. Even if you aren’t bidding on every auction item or throwing money at the organization, at least showing your vocal support at that annual event is quite important. If you cannot attend, or prefer to be more private, please at least make sure you are buying a table and donating to worthy recipients, or putting people who would otherwise be potential donors in those seats.
• Consider your threshold for donation and meet with the Executive Director, or other representatives to ensure any specific asks can be handled and are within reason if you have pet projects. Generally the donation for a local charity is $5k+ a year to get into the major donor status. Most major donors are likely to go more than 10k a year as a standing donation. It’s ok to ask for small favors and to earmark funds at these thresholds, but the projects should align well with the general practices of the organization, certainly.
• You won’t be expected to use social media unless that is part of your personal brand, or you have a robust following and the cause aligns well with the followers. In lieu of that, you will be “expected” to consider a sponsorship at the annual event and at smaller fundraising events. Consideration is important, even if it’s just in name only to help spur others on to donate.
• Get to know the board and the management. Make sure you give input as it makes sense to, to keep the organization growing properly and funded well.

AS A BOARD MEMBER:

• Attend as many board meetings as possible. Serve on reasonably aligned committees and offer your skills to improve the board and management experience.
• Understand the legalities and compliance concerns that you will be bound to as a board member. hold yourself to the highest standard of care in a fiduciary capacity and in order to keep legal liabilities to a minimum.
• Be willing to volunteer and get family involved as it makes sense. a few extra hours a year never hurt anyone, especially since you are already committing to dozens of hours in a board member capacity.
• Always be on the lookout for skilled volunteers that can further the goals of the organization. this is particularly true for technology and innovation skillsets that can help the organization stay at the edge of development and progression. Be able to persuade these candidates to serve alongside you by understanding the elevator pitch for the organization and understanding how to tell a story about what the company does and how it sets itself apart.
• Buy tickets to all the events. Even if you are not in a financial position to make large donations. The simple fundraising effort and willingness to pitch in, goes a long way to showing your support. Budget for the events if needed. If you feel the ticket prices are too high, or that you cannot support the organization at that level monetarily, take legitimate strides to improve the product/fundraising options.
• Buy some books on board governance and non-profit management. The following can be quite enlightening. BOOK #1 | BOOK #2 | BOOK #3
• Be willing to engage with people about the organization in public and have a couple of rehearsed pitches that can help you through that process when the time arises.
• If you cannot contribute money each year to the organization, figure out a way to raise in-kind donations or monetary contributions through friends, colleagues and other sources to make up for the shortfall.
• Plan on spending 100 hours doing board related things, and in a volunteer position that highlights your specific and strategic skillset annually.

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Hearts of Gold to benefit C.A.S.A

It’s the first event of its kind, but the C.A.S.A. Valentine Gala – “Hearts of Gold” in February looks to be the next Valley annual event. It aims to raise funds for combating child abuse and offering victim services for survivors of this horrible crime.

It’s an ambitious event for a non-profit that hasn’t been in the annual event game for years. But the concept is solid; the name is great and the venue, food and entertainment is top tier.

It’s one of the most interesting annuals in the non-profit sector for the Valley with the live piano music by a 30-something crooner named Matt Fetbrandt. It seems he can do everything from Journey to Disney, with hammer hands and a smooth voice he is a modern day piano man and he is taking love song requests – proceeds to benefit the child abuse prevention, education and victim services from C.A.S.A.

This Berklee School phenom has ties to the Valley and plays regularly around the world at high end events and makes a home – piano wise, in the Hollywood area usually. He’s currently traveling the world playing at top tier venues. It will be nice to see such a talent liven up the Valley non-profit fundraising scene on February 8th.

The venue is the gorgeous “Country Club at Soboba Springs”, a top tier option; who will provide services for food and drinks. The music is the central theme, considering the ability for music to get the crowd motivated, with $10 requests available for those Valentine Lovers to woo their sweethearts with. The Live entertainment will go from dinner (6:30p) until attendees are too tired to dance anymore.

This is a Black Tie optional event that lets the donors and supporters of C.A.S.A. get dressed up and enjoy an evening out. The room will encourage touches of gold as the theme is “Hearts of Gold” and the concept extends into all the decoration and the novel fundraising concepts that eschew the traditional silent auction for gift basket raffles, the love song requests and an ornament tree. A special presentation includes a champagne toast and the attendees will have access to spirits and wine.

The event starts with a cocktail hour from 5:30p to 6:30p with Dinner following a small presentation promptly at 6:45p.

Sponsors include Valley heavyweights like The Bank of Hemet; Century 21 McDaniel & Associates; the Healthy Valley Foundation; Gosch Auto Group; HUB International and the Soboba Casino Resort. All of the Valley’s philanthropically minded individuals and families are likely to be in attendance as C.A.S.A. makes something of a return to the spotlight after some years of hanging back.

The recent aggressive growth and some changes at the organization has spurred on some changes to how C.A.S.A. views itself moving forward. The management promises an event unlike others in the Valley, and yet, as glamorous and fun as the other top flight events.

They are also promising some new innovations in how the organization is marketed, and how the company approaches donors in the future. The problem with the marketing and branding in the past is that the subject matter isn’t a fun topic to discuss in polite company. In the age of transparency and compassion we live in, C.A.S.A. has broken through barriers to fundraising that historically made it difficult to approach the larger donors in the community.
Providing much needed services to victims of crime including sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking there is no better time for a non-profit like C.A.S.A. to thrive. As the company undergoes something of a metamorphosis, and helps clients to do the same in the aftermath of their traumatic experiences, the community becomes stronger, more resilient and more capable of healing. It’s a holistic and credible concept and the Valley can come together to support it at this February 8th, 2020 event that is scheduled to be the annual for the company.

The Hearts of Gold Valentine Gala takes place at The Country Club at Soboba Springs on Saturday February 8th 2020 at 5:30p. Live piano music (with requests!)and high end food are the highlights. Tickets are $125.

Tables are also available at 10 seats per. Sponsors and individual attendees should contact Kathy Callicott (Vice President of the C.A.S.A. Board) to inquire about tickets and make a purchase. Her contact number is: 951-634-8972.

Historically, the Center Against Sexual Assault of Southwest Riverside County has operated in the background providing services for victims of crime. Locked into state funding mandates and unfortunately the growth of the problem (sexual assault and child abuse), the company has been forced to grow to meet demand for services. But they want the community to understand that their name is not a limiting factor in the services they provide. (You can read our overview of their organization earlier in this very issue to better understand their portfolio of offerings).

Now, management and board members are making a concerted effort to show that they are reaching beyond their historic focus to provide crucial services to more than just sex crimes victims. Though that clientele will still be serviced as before. What they aim to do in the near future is show that their mission and vision has developed into something that they feel they can make a legitimate try at fulfilling. It goes as follows:

QUOTE
The C.A.S.A. Vision – A safe and healthy community where relationships are built on dignity, respect, trust. compassion and equity.

The C.A.S.A. Mission Statement – C.A.S.A. intentionally fosters deep resilience in our community. C.A.S.A. supports children, adolescents, and adults in adapting to and overcoming adversity, trauma, and tragedy through prevention and healing services.
END QUOTE

It espouses a lot more than a name could ever do. It’s about healing members of our community that have experienced a wide range of trauma by providing specialty services like counseling and advocacy; victim’s assistance and others. It’s also about preventative services and education in the school system and in the broader community at large.

A not for profit like C.A.S.A. needs support to do these things. Sure, grant funds will always exist from federal, state and community partners and government, so they will survive, regardless. The services are critical and therefore funded all the time. But to truly execute on lofty goals like C.A.S.A. has set with the current management and board, they need community involvement and fundraising. We encourage you to attend!

The $125 dollar ticket price is a small price to pay to help create a safer, more educated, more compassionate community – the one in which you live.

The post Is this the new Must-Attend Annual Fundraising Event in the Valley? appeared first on Easy Ad - Local Small Business Resources.

The Healthy Valley Foundation serves as more of a charity to charities than as a standalone unit – a true foundation. Their generous donations and top-flight board offer unique insight into the community as a whole and ensures they serve a much needed mission.

These are our words, not the organization’s. This is in an effort to maintain transparency and avoid bias.

The Board member list, both past and present reads like the who’s who of the Inland Empire and the San Jacinto Valley. The impressiveness of the braintrust that officiates and oversees operations for the Healthy Valley Foundation proves the importance of the Foundation’s implementation and outreach over the immediate past.

But with the Healthy Valley Foundation, it’s more about the future than it is the past. their overarching goal is to combat tomorrow’s problems with investment today in novel solutions proffered by community partners in specialty positions to combat risks to the community.

Admittedly that’s not what their mission or vision states, but it is what has been the practice for this Foundation in the recent years. They have been on the leading edge of identifying legitimate future concerns and stopping their growth before they become a widespread problem.

Their foresight comes from the experience of the individual board members and the companies and individuals who are smart enough to reach out to the Healthy Valley Foundation to ask for community grants and donations. It’s a wonderful partnership.

The causes they support, run the gamut but they all make sense for a large and growing community like the nearly 95k people in Hemet and burgeoning surrounding areas. San Jacinto is growing fast too. As population growth increases, so too, do the risks for difficulties that come along with that community enlargement.

Per their website:
QUOTE

Mission
The Healthy Valley Foundation will proactively serve and support organizations who share our vision for a healthier community. The foundation will provide resources, enhance collaboration, and establish partnerships that promote well-being and healthy lifestyles.

Vision Statement
We have a passion for people and want to improve the health of individuals within our community. We believe that education and assistance can affect positive change leading to healthy lifestyles, economic stability, and safer communities.

Value Statement
People have value and are important to us. We care enough to help our community get the health care they both need and want. We will conduct ourselves integrity, honesty, and transparency as we seek to raise funds and provide those funds to worthy endeavors and agencies. We will hold ourselves accountable to each other and to our community for our actions and outcomes.
Core Values

We believe:
We are an assembled group of community leaders
Leaders lead by example
We must be accountable
We must conduct ourselves with integrity and transparency
We are honest and responsible brokers of change
We have to earn the trust of the community by being responsible and productive
END QUOTE

The organization has been helping the Valley since 1980. It is a stalwart contributor towards the improvement of the community.

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Valley Restart has been in the Valley for a long time. With the current economic conditions, their mission becomes even more important. As more first time homeless families emerge, Valley Restart Shelter’s unique way of addressing the problem helps to breed self-sufficiency.

These are our words, not the organization’s. This is in an effort to maintain transparency and avoid bias.

Valley Restart has a ton of community partners. Notably, there is an interfaith council of religious institituions and non-profit affiliated institutions that support the Valley Restart Mission full-time.

Their ability to foster self-sufficiency and help people overcome temporary economic difficulties brings the theologically based organizations back year after year. It’s significant to see such a diverse group of religious groups coming together on the same project. The connectivity and integration is impressive.

Linda Rogers, the Executive Director is a gracious but hard nosed leader for the organization and her stubborness has helped to keep Valley Restart continually operating since 1989. Ms. Rogers has been at the helm since 2003

She and the staff is serious about the admittance protocols. They don’t allow drug users and they are very strict on the program deadlines and turnover. Generally this is a short term housing and job training program that consistently places people into better conditions upon completing the program.

It’s based upon doing whatever it takes to have succcess on the participant’s behalf. It might seem like a last ditch effort to survive, whether it be for a night or for 90 days, the program is a very integrated and supportive group that provides housing and food for those who are in the program.

Valley Restart isn’t afraid of booting participants from the program. There is a low tolerance for abusing the rules. This has led to a fantastic track record with low recidivism rates. Many of the people who are in the shelters are first time homeless; some are veterans; some are families. A surprisingly high rate of the clients that come through the program end up moving onto better living conditions.

Per their website:
QUOTE
(2017-2018)
· VRS Sheltered 266 people; 53 families, 132 of which were children
· 74% of participants were families
· 54% were homeless for the first time
· 98% left VRS for better housing
· 51,251 meals were served a total of 602 people were served just meals outside of the housing program
· The average shelter stay is 54 days
*2017-2018 data
One young woman had struggled with substance use and had experienced domestic violence. She came to the shelter, was reunited with her child, and was able to get a job and move to independent living. She continues her success to this day.
END QUOTE

For a growing problem in California, this organization is a testament that a hand up is always better than a handout. Their specific rules and close oversight as well as the generous volunteers and donations allows Valley Restart to reimagine the way to combat homelessness with results that are uncommonly good.

You can find them on the web at
www.valleyrestart.info

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These are our words, not the organization’s. This is in an effort to maintain transparency and avoid bias

The Center Against Sexual Assault of Southwest Riverside County has been in the Valley for more than 35 years. It’s a different organization than it was when it first appeared on the scene as a result of a teacher doing what she could to combat a sexual assault on a student. Victims of crime are still the focal point for the organization, but that mission has widened to include child abuse victims and victims of human trafficking as well as sexual assault survivors. The organization provides assistance programs and counseling to these victims of crime to help them heal, find normalcy again and begin to thrive as individuals and parts of the community. You can find C.A.S.A. on the web at www.swcasa.org

Some insights you may not know about C.A.S.A.

It’s not just about sexual crimes.

The organization works with community partners like the Hemet Valley Hospital and Law Enforcement including Riverside Sheriff’s Department, Hemet PD and San Jacinto LE, area schools, as well as others to combat child abuse, provide much needed education and provide assistance to people who have experienced trauma of all types.

C.A.S.A. has an upcoming community fundraiser

This will cement their spot as part of the premier non-profit organizations in the valley, catering to the Valentine’s season with their appropriately named “Hearts of Gold” Valentine Gala. It’s a Black-tie optional event that highlights love, and offers the best venue in the Valley, amazing food and innovative fundraising options for those who are interested in a formal night out. The interesting part of this Valentine’s fundraiser is that it doesn’t follow the textbook for fundraising events – the options to contribute are fresh and interesting and offer attendees and those who cannot attend. opportunities to get involved to make a difference. The entire proceeds of the event will benefit Child Abuse prevention and victim assistance.

The board is a mixture of both long-term members and newer members.

All of whom have bought wholesale into the vision and mission of the organization and all of whom spend an unbelievable amount of time refining and optimizing the delivery and implementation of the core values, strategic vision and organizational structure.

Historically, the organization has had a very specific day-to day operation.

It operates a much needed and state funded services mix that centers around Victim assistance, education and prevention of Sexual Assault related crimes. That is all slated to remain, but the overall vision and mission of C.A.S.A. has widened to include significant program development to counter the rise of child abuse and to assist in necessary services to help victims of such crimes. Additionally, the organization is one of very few California based non-profits that were awarded major CAL-OES funded Human Trafficking Victim Assistance grant money. It is in a second phase of this grant and has amended organizational goals to deliver on promises in that aspect of the overall operational plan.

The organization has a brain trust and skillset from the Executive Director, to the board members, to the staff employees, that is unmatched in the sector.

For the Valley, the innovation, strategic planning and immense efforts by all players in the organization represents a very robust group of capable people. C.A.S.A. has always been a very progressive and forward-thinking organization. The current leadership and staff have optimized this concept and it helps to push C.A.S.A. towards the type of organization that it intends to be – delivering fully on a lofty mission statement and a spot-on vision.

The new Executive Director is the one person who makes the most sense to be leading the organization.

In addition to being the current E.D. Gayle Hepner is also a former Executive Director for C.A.S.A. Very few individuals would have the organizational understanding; commitment to the cause; and ability to step in to run C.A.S.A. that Gayle has. A stalwart fundraiser and management presence in the Valley for decades, Gayle has begun to bring major changes to C.A.S.A. since her return to the organization, but understands the need to retain the original passion and intent of the organization and not innovate away the roots of the company. She’s aggressive in a good way and so well connected in the area that it’d be hard to find a better face for the organization. Her unbelievable commitment to the vision and mission of the company proves she was a great choice to head the entity in its current state.

What does the future hold for C.A.S.A.?

As progressive an organization as ever, it’s progression isn’t an indication of politics, but rather its forward thinking and innovation.

You wouldn’t blame the company if they focused on marketing, branding & fundraising in the coming months and years. The name is quite long, and it doesn’t indicate the whole portfolio of services the organization offers. The current name is straightforward & tightly focused. Which does mimic the organizations actions as a whole, but doesn’t tell the whole story about what they do.

C.A.S.A. has historically been nearly 100% grant funded. That can cause difficulty in day-to-day operations for a non-profit, as the money it takes to provide services, needs to be spent before it can be reimbursed by a grant fund. It makes sense that the board & management has made strong efforts to reinvent the fundraising campaigns and look at innovative opportunities to raise money and build a thicker padding to their operational funds.
The governmental funding is never going away – even if programs get slashed at the state or federal level, C.A.S.A. provides needed community services and that cannot simply be left to die on the vine.

The landscape of federal and state funding fluctuates. C.A.S.A.’s service needs don’t – they just grow. The impact of population increases and new, more innovative criminals & increasing rates of child abuse and other concerns make this non-profit a stable, necessary entity in the Valley and beyond.

The board has a good mix of mature and new members and all have bought into the innovation that C.A.S.A. plans to bring to the Valley non-profit. Oh yeah and impressive technology innovations too. You’d be wise to keep an eye on the company & watch them evolve this year.

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Picking a Non-Profit to support is not as simple choosing a name from a list. Finding true harmony with a charitable cause and ultimately a specific organization can yield incredible results for you and them.

These SEVEN guidelines can help you to find a real harmony with an organization that aligns with your personal needs and desires.

So, you’re ready to pick a charity. It might be because you have entered a point in life where charitable giving, or community service makes sense; some catalyst has helped you to realize that your time or money, or unique skillset can help to ensure the long-term success of a favorite cause of yours, or it may be something else that compels you.

Whatever makes you interested in giving this year to local charities or beyond, you would be best served to understand what you are getting into before you make big decisions involving time, money or efforts that you won’t be able to get back If you make an uninformed decision.

Let’s be clear: the non-profit world is not an easy one to reside in. Countless non-profits are struggling, even if they appear to be solid and functional. That said, with good leadership, dedicated board members, donors and volunteers, any non-profit can thrive.

Your help can be the tipping point for a non-profit, particularly a local one to bring them into a more sustainable future with improved fundamental economics and a better ability to service the end user.

We think we have compiled a list of concepts to help you understand where you might best serve and best be utilized in the Non-profit world, without giving away your precious resources without getting great value for them – whether thy are skills, time, money or some other resource.

Know yourself and clarify what your core values are

Does the landscape of local charities fit within your values set? Do you need to look at a national charity instead?

What drives you, and what causes are you passionate about? Does your desire to participate stem from a sense of community or is it centered on your particular geographic location?

One example might be: A survivor of a crime may support a non-profit organization that seeks to combat such crime or helps with victim advocacy or other service. Having such a driving force can help to define what your scope and push will be.

Someone who was homeless before being able to start a successful multinational business may be particularly passionate about helping to end homelessness or working towards better awareness of the concern for those who might not have a powerful voice or the resources to enact real change.

Do some basic research

Does your community support organizations that do what your core values establish as your defining causes? Are there even organizations in your community that can service those causes?

If you are particularly interested in supporting wounded veterans, is there a way for you to do that locally? What if the type of non-profit that you think best fits you is 1000 miles away? It might make sense to support a hyper-local non-profit if you can actually accomplish the goals you have regarding charitable causes. But it might make more sense to seek out a national or international organization if they align more closely to the specific change you wish to be a part of.

For instance, if you are particularly interested in helping military service people with finding great career transitions, you might not be able to find a charity close by you. But Robert J. O’Niell, the NAVY SEAL who was the triggerman on the primary target in the Raid on the Osama Bin Laden Complex, has a recommendation that might make sense to you.

He is on the founding board of a NFP (Not for profit) called Your Grateful Nation, which has the exclusive mission of delivering ex-service personnel (special operations personnel mostly) into positions of extreme compatibility with their skillsets, while also aligning with their most desirable types of work. Think: an ex-marine core sniper that wants to be in sports radio. That’s anecdotally the type of thing they do.

So, you’ll need to know if something that fits with your desires exists in your geographical sphere and they see what makes the most sense.

Meet the people who are doing this stuff already in your
community

Not only does a meeting with key people help you to interface with people already doing what you want to do, but it helps you to determine if a local non-profit is capable of accomplishing the type of result you want to see.

It also helps you to understand what the reasons are that people are donating time and money to individual charities and NGO’s, especially locally. It will help you determine the advanced capabilities that you might not already be aware of, or help you to realize that the organization doesn’t really do what you want to do.

Such meetings can help clarify how an organization runs too. Are they 100% grant funded or do they run a grass roots individual donor based organization?

Most importantly, it will tell you what a website or a simple elevator pitch cannot tell you about the organization and the legitimate benefits of the work they do. As Andrew Carnegie alludes to in his classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People – letting someone talk about what they love and what they are and what they do, will help you to become endeared to them and help them to express something far beyond surface level to you, the listener.

Check the financials and take a look at the board members

There are financial records available online for non-profits. This is a mandate by their Tax-exempt status. It can be helpful in determining which charity aligns best with your level of prudence in spending and organizational structure. Word to the wise though, a 990 does not an organization make. Just because (for example) it seems that they pay their directors too much money on their financial statements, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the financials are poor. Look at multiple years to identify trends and understand the changes taking place in the organization.

See who is running the behind the scenes compliance, financial and legal oversight. That can have a huge impact on the credibility of the organization. Remember not to make hasty decisions just because a board isn’t filled with celebrity philanthropists. Many local organizations are made up of day-to-day local movers and shakers (and more importantly), dedicated community minded individuals. It is these individuals that can move an organization forward fastest, as their goals are most aligned with the organization. Contrast that with national organization board members who are sometimes included there in name only. Though that concept is not a hard and fast rule.

Be realistic

Sometimes you cannot just walk up or call up and get a meeting with the Executive Director. Non-Profit employees are generally notoriously underpaid and overworked.

From a different perspective: some organizations simply must stay in business, even if they generally run a semi-backwards budget. That’s usually because they are an essential community function. Like a Rape crisis center, that serves the greater community with essential services. They might be entirely grant funded, so their financials don’t look amazing at all times, but they still provide a service that cannot be overlooked and have longer-term stability.

Many employees in non-profit organizations are hired because they are some of the best talent in their particular lane. They might not be as well-rounded in some of the topics and areas you might be interested in. Make sure you don’t make a snap decision on a single underwhelming interaction with an organization’s employee. It’s generally best to target a board member; current donor or the Executive Director or community outreach specialist to get the best idea of what the organization is capable of.

Don’t fall into the “Apples vs. Oranges” Comparisons

A charity is defined by their actual progress and day-to-day work. Just because their mission statement is similar doesn’t mean they do the same thing. Similarly, the cost of doing business varies greatly by region or in specialized industries. Certain organizations might have public mandates by virtue of the grants they operate within.

You want to be evaluating organizations on a case by case basis once you determine the short list of companies that fit your needs. Daily spends; operating budgets, employee mix and general day-to-day operational aspects greatly vary. It goes far beyond what a mission statement of organizational vision could possibly indicate.

Trust your gut instincts

If you’ve gotten to a point where you can legitimately devote significant resources of any kind to a charitable organization, you have likely had to rely on your gut and been right a lot in your life.

If something doesn’t make sense and you cannot reasonably define why it doesn’t, it probably means you should move on. Otherwise you’ll likely be at an enhanced risk of being disappointed in your involvement at some point in the future.

Some conclusions

While It might not have been completely obvious in the run up to these conclusions, we do think it’s best for a majority of charitably minded individuals to support local and regional organizations over national or international ones. Far and away the biggest impacts can be made locally. Both because you are more invested, and because you can be utilized to a higher degree with more efficiency.

National and international organizations are incredibly important though. For instance: the Polaris organization and Shared Hope International are crucial players in the anti-human-trafficking segment. It benefits everyone but the criminals running trafficking organizations to have such strong, focused, integrative not-for-profits and NGO’s in the space. These non-profits have a ton of funding, but that doesn’t mean that additional funding is unappreciated or unnecessary. Champion all areas of your given cause if you have the means to, as every fundamentally oriented, stable organization can have a huge impact on the problem they seek to combat.

Don’t be afraid to follow up. You would be surprised how easily email spam and busy days can quickly derail an employees urgency to return a call from a potential donor or volunteer. If you are persistent, you will likely be met with an eager, helpful representative that can help you understand how you can help. But don’t abandon

the organization on the first unanswered email. Many employees in non-profits are wearing multiple hats and that can impact their ability to connect with you immediately at different times.

Money isn’t the only way that you can help. Are you a marketing genius? A YouTube personality? A graphic designer? A credentialed counselor? Are you someone with a specific skillset that cannot be found easily? A lawyer with a few hours pro-bono time could be a very valuable asset to a non-profit going through a leadership transition. A small business owner that can donate excess inventory could also be a huge windfall asset to a charity. Even just someone with a moderate social media following can be a major help to an organization during peak season for donations. A writer could help with website copy that isn’t converting potential donors or volunteers.

Another major need: Qualified Board representatives for local organizations that have the same vision as the organization and are willing to champion the cause year round.

Don’t think just because you aren’t ready to contribute thousands to the organization that you cannot be a major influencer on the progression of the organization.

You’d be selling yourself short.

Non-Profits are forced to be keen, lean, aggressive entities that can uncover talent and resources where they might be hidden normally. If you step up, most of them, at least the good ones, will too.

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