- I’ve learned that it is important to do a lot of research before investing in a company. There are many factors when evaluating an investment in a charity such as their mission statement, staff, and tax returns. Before investing in a charity, you need to make sure that its goals and values align with yours. Also, you need to make sure that the all of the staff is welcoming and knowledgeable. Although, I believe the most important method to evaluate a charity is looking at its tax forms to confirm that they are allocating their donations properly.
- It is important to look at the numbers before making an investment to make sure that the charity is properly allocating their funds. You want to have a good idea of where your money is going before you donate. A lot of times people donate to charities without looking at their tax returns and are unaware that their money does not go to the cause they want to donate to, but rather the miscellaneous expenses of the charity. When looking at my organizations’ tax returns, I was able to see where donations were going as well as determine the sustainability of my organizations.
- I’ve learned that it is necessary to do research before giving money away. There are many factors one must consider before donating to a charity. MSP has impacted my perspective on the world, because it has brought to my attention how many local and global issues that need to be addressed. Also, I have learned that every donation makes an impact, no matter how small, and charities appreciate that.
- The two charities I researched were Friends of the Earth and the Environmental Defense Fund. Friends of the Earth’s philanthropic mission is to protect the environment and create a healthy and just world. They do this through organizing to build long-term political power and campaign to change how economic and political systems that create injustice and destroy the earth. They work to expose those who value corporate profit over the lives of people and the health of the planet. The Environmental Defense Fund’s philanthropic mission is to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. They do this by working with other organizations along with business, government, and communities to attack critical problems in areas such as climate, oceans, ecosystems, and health. These missions align with mine as I believe environment issues need to be addressed with urgency.
- The charity that my group chose to donate to was the Environmental Health Coalition. There were many factors that led us to select this charity. Their mission statement aligned with ours, which is always the first factor we want to address. Also, the fact that it is local allowed my group to visit the charity and talk to some of the staff, who were very welcoming over the phone and in person. Furthermore, by looking at their most recent 990 form, our group saw that they handle their money well. We were also able to determine their sustainability and it showed that they would be sustainable for a good amount of time.
- I am hoping that our donation will help local communities, because that would be the easiest way for us to see change. I definitely see myself donating to this charity in the future, and hopefully one day becoming a volunteer. MSP has exposed me to so many causes and organizations that I would love to become involved with, too, so while I do see myself helping out the Environmental Health Coalition, I do not want to limit myself to this one specific charity. I want to make an impact on many others.