Studies show that as much as 80% of the Australian population gives to charity. According to the Chiang Rai Times, the average per person is $764 although this includes some high individual donations. It’s more likely the average Australian donates approximately $200 per year.
It’s incredibly generous, especially for households that don’t have a huge amount of disposable income spare. Of course, with global events squeezing individual wallets, it can be hard to maintain this level of Afghanistan donation. That’s why many people ask whether donating really makes a difference.
Does Donating Make A Difference?
The short answer is yes. But, as always, there are some conditions. It really depends on who you are donating to. Some non profit organisations, channel all donations into their cause.
For instance, if you support the Surf Life Saving Foundation you can give confidently, knowing that all funds received are used to train surf life savers and buy essential equipment.
Your funds aren’t being wasted on administrative costs, they are being used to put surf life savers on beaches and ensure they have the equipment to save lives.
In short, your donation is directly helping to save lives. As many as 10,000 people are saved from the sea every year. That’s thanks to the Surf Life Saving Foundation and your donations.
However, when you start donating to larger, international organizations, it can be much harder to tell where your money ends up. Although you are giving with the best of intentions, many of the larger organisations use donations to cover administrative costs and pay the salaries of the directors. This can mean a very small percent of your donation actually goes to the dedicated cause.
Verifying The Donations
The best approach is to look at the records each charity has made public. This will show you how much money they have received and what it costs to run the charity. You’ll be able to see which charities funnel the most money into their charitable causes and are, therefore, worth donating to.
You need to verify that the charity is genuine by checking they are properly registered. Then, look at where the donations end up and even ask them how much of each donation makes a difference to those who need it.
If the charity can’t give you a straight answer donate elsewhere.
Remember The Tax Benefits
Donations to charity are actually tax deductible. You will need to confirm the charity is registered to receive tax-deductible gifts. They are generally referred to as DGRs. Giving to these charities will allow you to write down the donation amount and declare them on your taw bill. It’s a great way to reduce the amount of tax you have to pay while helping others.
Of course, you’ll also need to keep donation receipts to confirm you have actually donated. It also helps if you support a charity that you feel strongly about. That’s why so many Australians support the Surf Life Saving Foundation. It’s local and you can see the difference it makes.
