Spring fundraising is fast-approaching and it’s tugging at your charity heart strings! You want to choose a new cause to support, but you can’t seem to find the right one for you. You’ve tried typing the word “charity” into Google, only to find approximately 260 million results. You then tried to lighten the search by typing in “charity causes,” but you still received 65 million results! No one has time to search through 65 million results to find a cause that’s just right for them to support. So how do you choose the right nonprofit organization? Here are four simple steps to finding the perfect cause for you.
Step 1: Find Your Passion
The first step is to find a cause you’re passionate about. You want to donate your time to a charity that represents a cause you truly believe in. Tap into your inner emotions and think about a movement that makes you tick. What is it that makes your heart ache or race? Some people have the easiest time picking a cause that is very personal to them. For example, if someone has a family member or friend who survives cancer, they may very well support specific charities that focus on cancer research. It’s important to understand there’s a nonprofit organization for almost every cause in the world. Specific causes that charities raise money for can range from cancer research to rescue animal shelters. That means it’s very likely your cause will already have a charity in its name doing fundraising!
Step 2: Do Your Research
Once you’ve determined your cause by examining your passion, you can become a lot more granular and detailed in your research. If you do a Google search for your cause with words like “charity” or “organization” afterward (e.g.: breast cancer charity), you will find websites for at least one or more specific charities. If there is more than one website for a charity supporting your cause, search around on each site to see which one fits you best. It helps to ask yourself as many questions as possible when narrowing down your search. Is one of the charities donating money to survivors? Is one donating their money to research? Do you believe in one charity’s message or goal over the other? It’s important to know that websites also allow you to research further into what a charity has done for its cause in the past, present and future. Websites are a great tool used by charities to provide an opportunity for almost anyone to learn about a charity’s goals, successes and aspirations. Most of these sites also have calendars of events, which can allow you to get involved with a charity fundraiser by donating your time or any supplies they may need. Researching charities online will provide many benefits and can lay the very foundation in which specific cause you support!
Step 3: Find Your Local Chapter
At this point, you probably have your cause narrowed down, but you’re still wondering where to start. Many charities have multiple branches and local chapters. They typically have a national website that will help you find the location of these chapters as well as their own website. It is possible though that your area doesn’t have a local chapter yet. The good news is that you may be the perfect person to start one! However, local chapters give you the ability to find out events that are being held in your area where you can volunteer to help out. There also may be an opportunity to continue working with your local chapter on a regular basis! The greatest part about a local chapter is that it gives the community the ability to get involved with the cause and the people surrounding it. Surrounding yourself with local believers of this cause may very well be the tipping point for you choosing the cause or not. If you find out your cause does not have a local chapter in your community, it may be worthwhile to reach out and make contact with the charity to propose a chapter in your area.
Step 4: Get Involved!
Get involved with charity fundraising in your community! Sometimes it helps to physically, emotionally and mentally involve yourself in a charity to know you’re in the right place. No good charity will turn away a person who genuinely wants to help and be part of their organization. The relationship between charities and the public is a beautiful thing. Charities rely on people from the general public who share in their beliefs, while the public relies on the charities to provide help for their cause. Getting involved with a cause can be the simplest of tasks. You can either click and donate like previously mentioned or volunteer your time at a local fundraiser. If you’re still unsure, try giving the charity a call, so you can ask questions.
Selecting a cause can be difficult for some, but it will always be extremely beneficial in the end. Not only does it help others, but it also helps you think outside your normal day-to-day routine. Charities rely on creativity from their public involvement, so belonging to a cause may tap into an inner creativity you never knew you had. Hopefully, these tips helped you make the next move or maybe even acted as a catalyst for you to get involved today!