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“But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?” [1 John 3:17]

Spending money for the good of others brings joy and serenity to the mind and soul and so many citizens donate to charity in Australia.  But with thousands of charitable organisations competing, you must research before donating to ensure that the money you donate is used for the cause you are supporting.  Below is a checklist to think before donating:

-    Choosing the charitable organization
-    Ways to donate (do they accept only cash or can you donate in kind and through volunteer work too)
-    Is the organization legitimate?
-    Can you get any tax benefit by donating to this organization?
-    If you have any problems after donating or during donation complain to the necessary authorities

Choosing the organization

The organization you choose to donate to charity in Australia will most often be based on the cause that charity supports. And if the amount is substantial you may think of dedicating it to your parents, family or close friend. Irrespective of the reason that made you choose this particular charity, it is important that you feel comfortable with the activities of the organization and how they plan to use the donation they receive from you.

If you have not thought about any particular charity, the foundations categorized under the Charities Aid Foundation might be helpful... if you reside overseas and plan to donate to charity in Australia you want to go through the right channels as you may not be able to verify any information the charities put on their website or on their social media links.  There are also many charities that have Australian base and work overseas too. If you plan to donate to such charities you can be n touch with them to know how your money was used.

There are numerous ways in which you can donate to charity in Australia. The donation can be one-off or ongoing. One off donation is generally on an urgent need basis like after a natural disaster or a fundraising campaign. This could happen at any moment like on the street or while travelling by public transport, sometimes organizations call you or drop at your doorstep to seek donations. Ongoing donations are when you donate a certain amount on a particular day or month every year. This may be to commemorate birthdays, wedding anniversary or death anniversary of your beloved. Most of these donations are in the form of cash. Remember to take receipts for such donations which you can use for tax benefits or verify the organization if need be at a later date.