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As more and more Australians feel they need to give back to society what they got from it, charitable donations are becoming more common. While charity donation is a good thing you want to make sure the money you give with good intentions is actually put to good use.

Charities Aid Foundation website has a list of registered organizations in Australia that can accept charitable donations. There are big and small non-profit organizations indulging in social work for whom every penny you donate is valuable. Although the charitable foundation is registered it still does not mean they have been verified. If you want to make sure your money is put to good use you must ensure you are giving it to the right organization irrespective of its size or name. Not all charitable foundations can afford to advertise or market themselves but that does not mean they are not doing good work or should not be given any charity and the same can be said for international charities as well. Here are a few questions you should ask before donating:

-    Make sure you know what cause that group is supporting
-    Where it is based?
-    How will the donations be used?
-    Is it affiliated to other charities and organizations?
-    Does it have DGR (deductible gift recipient) status?

Being careful doesn’t hurt even if the answers to the questions are just satisfactory.

Even if the charity is a popular one and you have heard about it, you must check if the person who contacts you for charitable donations is authorised by the charity to collect funds on their behalf.

Sometimes representatives of big charitable organizations contact you face to face. If you intend to donate ask for their identification and the pledge form for charity. Both these should contain the complete name of the foundation, Australian corporate registration number, business address and logo. Crosscheck the phone number in the directory or by calling up them directly and verifying the authenticity of the request. Visit the ACNC – the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission website and see if the foundation is registered or not.

Whenever you give donations, make sure you are paying by cheque only. Never give cash and avoid paying by credit card too. Sometimes you may be contacted by phone by people claiming to be from reputed organizations for charity donations. Avoid giving credit card and banking details. Reputable charities have various ways of accepting donations ask them about these. If you are guided to any website and social media page make sure it is valid and secure protocols have been followed to make and receive payments.