Charitable Giving: How To Maximize Your Donation

People are moved to make charitable donations for a variety of reasons, including believing in a cause, helping others or the feel-good emotional experience that results from giving. 

In 2025, increasing food and supply costs, funding disruptions, and other instabilities are straining nonprofit budgets. So, your donations can make a bigger difference than ever. 

"Nonprofits are facing the same challenges that other companies are facing — except they don't necessarily have the same resources that many for-profit companies have," said Katherine Taylor-Hurley, BECU's Director of Community Engagement.

A Thoughtful Giving Approach

Taylor-Hurley appreciates the emotional part of philanthropic giving, but there's an important strategic component, too. 

"Charitable giving is often presented in a way that pulls at our heartstrings," Taylor-Hurley said. "Giving money in response to an emotional appeal can make your financial goals more difficult to reach." 

It's often wise to be intentional about where your donation dollars go. "Unrestricted monetary donations allow flexibility for nonprofits to use the funds where they're needed most." Taylor-Hurley said.  

"Think beyond the feel-good part," she said, for long-term goals. "Invest in organizations that are making a significant difference for communities and in a way that works best for your own budget."

Budget to Give Year-Round 

Taylor-Hurley suggested thinking about donations in terms of your overall financial health.

"Budget for your needs first, then make decisions about how much expendable income you can put toward nonprofit causes," Taylor-Hurley said.

"We budget for so many things in our lives," Taylor-Hurley said. "It makes sense to stop and think about what an overall, year-long budget might look like for donations, too."

A monthly pledge via an automatic monthly contribution can create a win-win situation for everyone. 

Give Without Money

If you don't have cash to donate, many organizations need help in the form of food, time and supplies.

Donate Food

Search online for food banks and food pantries near you. Check the organization's website to see what items are needed and acceptable. 

For example, some locations might not have room to store canned or dry goods, but they could use fresh produce. Other pantries might only accept dry goods. 

Also find out which foods are culturally relevant for the food bank community you're donating to.

Dig a little deeper to discover peak needs for specific foods and make a habit of checking back regularly. 

Donate Time

In 2024, the average value of a volunteer hour was estimated to be $34.79, which is a 3.9% increase from the previous year.

"Just a couple hours can go a long way," said Taylor-Hurley. If you're looking to donate your time, check out VolunteerMatch. You can filter for location, cause and skills. 

Consider budgeting your volunteer time throughout the year.

"Soup kitchens are inundated with volunteers around the holidays, but they might not get enough help at other times of the year," Taylor-Hurley said. 

"If feeding people in need is how you want to give back, find out what kind of additional support the soup kitchen needs and when they need it most. Make a commitment to fill that need."

Donate Supplies

Area organization websites often list in-demand items and how to donate. Some shelter services, for example, have Amazon wish lists. 

Check which donations are accepted before you donate anything. Some organizations limit the items accepted.

Where To Give: How to Choose

If you don't already have a favorite nonprofit organization in mind, here are some ideas for picking an organization that's right for you:

Pick a Cause

Taylor-Hurley recommends choosing causes that align with your values. "One way to think about charitable giving is to think about categories. What matters most to you?" 

Nominees for BECU's annual People Helping People Awards, for example, must be focused on specific giving areas that reflect the credit union philosophy of "people helping people." 

"Focusing on giving back according to your values can help you focus your efforts and narrow down your options," Taylor-Hurley said.

Once you know your cause, you can search for organizations working on that issue.

Give Through Your Workplace

If your employer offers a charitable giving or gift match program, it likely already identified credible community organizations in your community. Look for an organization carrying out volunteer work that aligns with your values.

How To Maximize Your Donation

Whether you decide to give time or money, several options can amplify your efforts. Here are two ways you might be able to give your charitable donation a boost.

Corporate Matching

Many employers offer a matching program that will match some or all of your donation. Some companies will even match a percentage or dollar amount more than your donation. 

Check with your employer for donation limits and eligibility requirements before participating. 

You can also check with nonprofits you're interested in to see if they have any corporate-sponsored matching relationships. 

Paid Volunteer Time Off and Dollars-for-Doers

Some employers offer employees paid time off to volunteer with a nonprofit. Check with your manager or human resources department to see if your employer offers the option. This time off is separate from paid sick leave or vacation leave. 

Other employers donate money to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. 

Are Donations Tax-Deductible?

In addition to giving back to your community and supporting those in need, your charitable giving might also reduce your taxable income.

To qualify for a tax deduction, the organization you donate to must be designated tax exempt under Internal Revenue code 501(c)(3). You can check if an organization is 501(c)(3) tax exempt on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool.

NerdWallet has a good explanation of tax rules related to charitable giving.

How To Donate Safely

Unfortunately, scammers look for opportunities — like increased fundraising activity during the holidays or in times of crisis — to steal your personal information and your money.

Here are a few tips to make sure your donations are safe.

Make Sure the Organization is Credible

Legitimate charitable organizations should have verifiable tax and financial information and should be transparent about how they manage and spend donation dollars. 

Before you donate, check the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool.

Several websites also rate charitable organizations, including GuideStar, Charity Navigator and BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

Review the organization's website to see if it has an annual report or financial statements. 

Many state and local governments also require charities to register. In Washington, you can look up a charity, fundraiser or trust search via the Washington Corporations and Charities Filing. 

Charitable giving is not an emergency. Don't respond to unsolicited requests for donations. 

To be safe, go directly to the organization's website, or call the nonprofit using a phone number you looked up, not a number given to you.

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