The holiday giving season is the most generous time for donors. Since 2012, however, it has become even more so with the emergence and growth of GivingTuesday which was started by the New York-based 92Y in collaboration with United Nations Foundation. Taking place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S., this movement has cumulatively help generate over $1 billion for online charitable giving worldwide. While this movement initially operated as a program of 92Y, in the past year GivingTuesday has become a separate charitable organization. For more information on GivingTuesday and other giving days, see the cover story of the latest edition of the Wise Giving Guide.

If you participate on GivingTuesday on December 3^rd, BBB’s Give.org urges donors to research charities before giving to ensure their generous contributions are going to trustworthy organizations. “The evaluations we provide give donors insight into charity trustworthiness, helping them make wiser giving decisions,” remarks Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB WGA. ”Holiday donations can make a real impact. Therefore, it’s critical that donors’ hard-earned dollars go to charities that operate ethically.”

BBB WGA is sharing five tips to help donors give wisely and make the most of their generosity this holiday season. 

1. Watch out for name similarities. When charities seek support for the same cause, their names are often similar. Before you give, be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
2. Avoid on-the-spot donation decisions from unfamiliar organizations. The holidays bring a higher frequency of donation requests outside public locations. Don’t succumb to pressure to make an immediate giving decision. Responsible organizations will welcome your gift tomorrow as much as they do today.
3. Be wary of emotional appeals. Marketers have been known to exploit the holidays to make emotional pleas to donors. Always research to verify that your selected charity operates ethically.
4. Avoid charities that don’t disclose. Although participation is voluntary, charities that don’t disclose any of the requested information to BBB WGA raise a critical red flag for donors. Visit Give.org to find out if your selected charity is nondisclosure.
5. Rely on standards-based evaluations. Charities can demonstrate they are trustworthy by agreeing to in-depth evaluations such as the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability. Get free access to charity reports at Give.org.

Video of the Week

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring H. Art Taylor, President and CEO, BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Mr. Taylor provides tips on making wise giving decisions on GivingTuesday.

Recent Reports

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation
• Young Life

Finally, remember to let us know by going to give.org/charity-inquiry if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.