How to check out a charity before you donate

Why check out a charity before you donate?

Before making a donation, it’s important to learn more about the organization you’re giving to. Not only do you want to confirm the charity is legitimate and that you’re aligned with its mission, but you may want to know more about how your donation will be used and how it helps those the charity supports. This will help you better understand who you’re donating to, why the charity's work is important and how you can make a difference.

Questions to ask a charity before donating

Asking questions is a great way to learn about a charity when you're considering a donation. Here are a few to help you get started.

Patient James stands with his dad, who's crouching down and giving him a hug. — St. Jude patient **James** with his dad

What does the organization do?

Learning what a charity does can help you determine if your charitable giving goals align with an organization. For example, St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. If your philanthropic goals align with our mission, St. Jude is a great place for you to make a donation.

What are the charity’s mission and goals?

Understanding an organization’s mission and goals can help you compare them with your own mission and goals for charitable giving and decide if they're a match.

The mission of St. Jude is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

Patient Swayzie sits in a bright dress with a slight smile. — St. Jude patient **Swayzie**

Does the organization have good charity ratings?

Knowing how charity evaluation organizations rate a charity can help give you confidence about where your donation is going.

ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude, has continuously been named one of the top healthcare charities by charity rating organizations, including the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Charity Navigator, Guidestar and more.

What percentage of my donation goes to the cause?

It’s important to know how much of your donation is going to the organization you’re supporting. While it’s normal for a portion of donations to go to administrative and fundraising costs, the amount going to the charity’s work matters.

At St. Jude, for the past seven years, 82 cents of every dollar received has gone to support the treatment, research and future needs of St. Jude. The remaining 18 cents supports fundraising efforts, such as the St. Jude Walk/Run, and administration costs.

Patient Yara stands in a bright dress and grins as she gets a hug from her mom. — St. Jude patient **Yara** with her mom

How are donations used?

When checking out a charity before you donate, another important factor to consider is what your donation will be used for.

When you donate to St. Jude, you're helping ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

St. Jude cares for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs or ability to pay. Our patients receive the customized care they need to treat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, no matter what barriers they may face.

What are the tax implications?

Knowing the tax implications for your donation can have an impact on whether you donate. For example, St. Jude is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. That means your donation is tax-deductible, while donations to charities of a different classification, such as a 501(c), may not be.