30 June is coming - You still have time to make charitable donations with real impact!

With 30 June fast approaching, many of our good intentions to give more to causes or charities we care about has yet to come into fruition.

For most of us, this can result in rash and reactive decisions on your charitable dollars – commonly propelled to action by commercials on TV, in the newspapers or social media.

Instead of feeling happier, fulfilled and relishing in our generosity – we don't give it any thought and soon forget that we even made the donation…..

So how do you make your generosity really count but with limited time and research?

• Collective Giving Platforms – 10x10 and The Funding Network provide great platforms for those looking to make a real impact to grassroots charities with small amounts of money. With most pledges starting at $100, you can come along and hear from three emerging charities in your area making significant social change. Research and pre-selection of the charities are done on your behalf, but you still hear them pitch for your money. The events are great to see the tangible impact of your donations, but also to network with like-minded people. Check out 10x10 and The Funding Network for events coming up in June.
• Giving Circles – if you love the idea of meeting like-minded people and putting your charitable dollars towards significant impact for local charities, join a giving circle. Giving Circles usually require a more significant donation (usually $1000) but the collective impact of your grant is much more significant and can be transformational for the charity supported. The beauty of giving circles is that donations can be made now, but the research and voting for the charity are usually made later in the year. Women and Change are here in Brisbane as well as Impact100 in most capital cities.
• Open a subfund within a Public Ancillary Fund – This is the year you really wanted to be more thoughtful and engage others in your charitable donations decisions. It’s ok, you still have time! By opening a subfund at GivingSimple, you have the ability to make a donation now and then disburse funds to charities over time (usually years). This provides a great donative vehicle for those with significant tax events or higher taxable incomes this year but not necessarily going forward. In addition, by committing charitable funds in advance, you have greater incentive and structure to think about how your funds make a difference and track their impact over time.
• Think about your passion and values first – instead of reacting to a charity advertisement or street fundraiser– take a little bit of reflection time to decide what causes matter most to you. You can do it over the dinner table with the family, or on the train to work (15 minutes is plenty of time for deep thinking!). Once you have an idea on what is important to you, jump onto charity platforms such as the Australian Charities Guide and Give Now to find charities making impact in the location or cause area that is important to you.