EdwardWLong.com

Let’s all do good well

Telescope

Ed LongDo you want to do good well when you support charities?

Do you want to do good well dealing with the end of life for yourself or those you love?

I’m devoted to excellence in both charitable giving and end-of-life care — and created this site to share with you as you seek to do good well in those vital arenas. I hope you find it helpful.

Ed Long

Savvy Donors Do Good Well

Many generous people donate to charities but then aren’t sure if it’s money well spent.

Life is too short to donate to charity wasters and fakers. And it’s just plain wrong that weak charities waste donated money and fake charities steal donated money.

At SavvyDonors.org, we help generous people be Savvy Donors.

Savvy Donors know how to find strong charities and avoid charity wasters and fakers.

Savvy Donors know whether their donated money is well spent. Savvy Donors do good well!

The joys of being a Savvy Donor

As a savvy donor, you

    • continue to make a difference in the world
    • protect your generosity from wasters and fakers
    • support strong charities doing solid work
    • give wisely and well
    • and save time and worry while doing it.

Are you already a Savvy Donor?

Take the DonorType Quiz and find out if you’re already a Savvy Donor.

Donor Resources

Donor Resources

We’ve rounded up a bunch of our favorite resources. Consider bookmarking this page for your reference and convenience when you’re doing charity-related research.
Round up

Nonprofit and Charity Research

  • Do your CharityCheck to identify the organization and find its tax status and EIN (employer identification number).
  • Dig further with the Best Free Charity Research Sites (below) to find out more about an organization’s mission, operations and finances.
  • The EIN is the gateway to information about a nonprofit, with the organization’s IRS Form 990 being the first place to look. Find a Charity IRS Form 990 super-fast and free

    Giving Smart

    Volunteers and Taxes

    • See Volunteer Mileage and Tax Deductions tab below

    Donor-Advised Funds

    IRS Rules and Requirements

    These donor resources can help you learn about the IRS rules and requirements related to charitable giving.

    Consumer Protection Help

    These government donor resources can help you with consumer protection matters.

    Books on Philanthropy

    • Inspired Philanthropy, by Tracy Gary
    • Leap of Reason, by Mario Morino
    • Stop Acting Rich … and Start Living Like a Real Millionaire, by Thomas J. Stanley
    • Toxic Charity – How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, by Robert D. Lupton
    • Start Something That Matters, by Blake Mycoskie
    • Social Entrepreneurship – What Everyone Needs to Know, by David Bornstein and Susan Davis

      CharityCheck 101

      Thinking about giving? First do your CharityCheck to identify the organization and find its tax status and EIN (employer identification number).

      Dig before you donate — heed the warnings of the FBI, IRS, FTC, NASCO and state attorneys general.

      The CharityCheck directory includes every charity and nonprofit organization listed by the Internal Revenue Service as exempt from federal income taxes.

      • Avoid Fakes. Not every group that looks, sounds or feels like a charity is truly a charity. Fake “charities” often adopt names similar to legitimate charities, siphoning off dollars needed for good works. They’re specially active around crises, natural disasters and other big news items and causes. Do a charity check to make sure the group is truly a charity.
      • Confirm Identity. There are more than 1.8 million organizations recognized as tax-exempt by the IRS. Their names are often similar. Similar names easily produce confusion. Do a charity check to make sure you are supporting exactly the group you want.
      • Confirm Tax Status. Do a charity check to find the organization’s tax status. Is the organization recognized as a charity or nonprofit by the IRS? Will a donation be deductible as a charitable contribution?

      Doing a CharityCheck directory search is smart, fast, safe and free. Doing a Reverse Lookup is just as smart, safe and free — and even faster!

      CharityCheck101.org

      Charity DNA and Research

      Charity DNA

      EINs are like charity DNAWhile charity names can be similar, no two charities have the same EIN (employer identification number). EINs are like charity DNA.

      Charities Should Prominently Show Their EINs

      Overview

      • EIN checking is more precise than DNA testing.
      • While charity names can be confusingly similar, no two charities have the same EIN (employer identification number).
      • Using an EIN is the quickest path to successful charity research.
      • Using an EIN is quickest way to avoid “charity” scams.

      #1: Why should a charity prominently show its EIN?

      • To help donors protect themselves.
      • To help donors get the results they want.
      • To help law enforcement combat “charity” scams.
      • EINs are the key to finding a particular charity.
      • While charity names can be similar, no two charities have the same EIN. EIN checking is more precise than DNA testing.
      • Charity names can be confusingly similar. For example, we entered “american cancer” as the organization name in the CharityCheck101.org directory search and got 129 results. We narrowed the name search to “american cancer society” and got 40 results. We entered “habitat for humanity” and got 1,228 results. We entered “veteran” and got 17,275 results!
      • Names can be used to mislead. Scam “charities” often adopt names confusingly similar to legitimate charities, siphoning off dollars needed for good works.

       #2: What’s an EIN?

      Every charity has its own unique federal employer identification number (EIN), which it obtains by applying to the IRS. An EIN is typically a nine-digit number, shown like 12-3456789. A few charities have EINs with eight or fewer digits (normally shown with a leading zero like 01-2345678).

      EIN License Plate

      #3: Why would a donor care?

      • Using an EIN is the quickest path to successful charity research.
      • Using an EIN is the quickest way to avoid “charity” scams.
      • Using an EIN is a solid way to avoid confusion among legitimate charities.
      • Using an EIN helps in checking for a charity’s current address.
      • Using an EIN helps document charitable deductions at tax time.

      #4: How can a donor use an EIN in charity research?

      #5: You’re saying charity EINs are public information?

      Yes. Charity EINs are a key part of the public disclosure system mandated by the Internal Revenue Code. They’re available on the IRS website for anyone to find. And they’re the pathway to finding charity information filed with the IRS and available through CharityCheck101.orgGuideStar.org and elsewhere. The system’s already in place, let’s use it!

      #6: Could showing charity EINs help “charity” scammers?

      No, it will hurt them. If all charity fundraisers show their EINs, “charity” scammers will also have to show EINs. Potential donors will know to look for the EIN, and ask for it when contacted for donations.

      • If a scammer doesn’t show an EIN, it will be immediately suspect to potential donors.
      • If a scammer uses its own EIN, potential donors can quickly check it out through CharityCheck101.orgGuideStar.org, or Google.
      • If a scammer uses the EIN of a legitimate charity, it will easily get caught and will have given law enforcement clear proof of fraud.

      #7: Where should a charity prominently show its EIN?

      Show the EIN prominently –

      • On every piece of mail sent seeking a donation or other funding.
      • On every donation acknowledgement.
      • On the “About Us” page of the website and in the footer of every page.

      Bottom Line:

      No foundation would give a charity a grant unless the charity provided its EIN first.

      Why should individual and family donors, who provide more than 80% of charity donations, have to waste time searching for charity EINs?

      Charity Research — best free sites

      See the “Best free charity research sites” tab for my latest list . . .

       

      Best Free Charity Research Sites

      Best free charity research sitesResearcher

      Using free charity research websites can connect you to a gold mine of information.

      • They’ll help you track down individual charities and view their operations and finances.
      • You can then check charity missions, programs, spending, assets, liabilities, staff and board, and much more.

      Here’s my list, updated in August 2023

      The list is in alphabetical order.

      CharityCheck101.org

      • All IRS-listed nonprofits
      • Check identity and tax status
      • Find EINs; Reverse Lookup
      • No registration required

      CharityNavigator.org

      • Reports 195,000+ charities rated
      • Star ratings and reviews
      • All IRS-listed nonprofits
      • Optional registration gets you deeper access

      CharityWatch.org

      • 640+ letter ratings and reviews
      • Investigative reports
      • Donate $75 (annual) and get deeper access

      GuideStar.org (part of Candid)

      • All IRS-listed nonprofits
      • Data and copies of Form 990 and Form 990-PF filings
      • Optional registration gets you deeper access

      IRS.gov Exempt Organizations

      • All IRS-listed nonprofits
      • Check identity and tax status
      • Data and copies of Form 990 and Form 990-PF filings
      • No registration required

      ProPublica.org Explorer

      • All IRS-listed nonprofits
      • Data and copies of Form 990 and Form 990-PF filings
      • No registration required

      Volunteer Mileage and Tax Deductions

      Volunteer and other mileage rates

      The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2023 optional standard mileage rates. They’re used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.IRS Logo

      Beginning on Jan. 1, 2023, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck (including electric and hybrid-electric automobiles, as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles) will be:

      • 65.5 cents per mile for business miles driven. Compare to 58.5 cents in January through June 2022. And to 62.5 cents in July through December 2022.
      • 22 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes Compare to 18 cents in January through June 2022. Same as the 22 cents in July through December 2022.
      • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations (no change, again).

      Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates. For more information, see our article on charitable deductions for volunteers and IRS Revenue Procedure 2010-51. The volunteer mileage rate of 14 cents has not changed in many years.

      Use CharityCheck101.org to see if a nonprofit is qualified to provide you a charitable deduction for the miles you drive.

      Volunteers and taxes

      Volunteers may be able to deduct amounts they expend volunteering for charity — see What can a volunteer deduct? 

      End-of-Life Care

      We all deserve peace at the end of life. But that’s not the end-of-life experience for many in our communities. Many die in hospitals and skilled nursing homes — medical facilities where peace can be hard to find.

      And while families do remarkable work to provide care at home, that can bring family worry, stress, exhaustion, fear about making mistakes, and even family conflict. Peace at home can be hard to maintain.

      I’ve dedicated a lot of my time as a volunteer focusing on end-of-life care homes for men and women and families  — helping to assure peace at the end of life.

      End-of-life care homes – Caring House

      Caring House is an end-of-life care home in Torrance, CA, the first of its kind in Los Angeles County, CA. It’s an IRC 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping residents in the last weeks and days of their lives.

      All residents receive hospice services from the hospice agency of their choice. Freed from caregiving duties, family and friends can spend their time supporting and connecting with their loved one and each other.

      Caring House has six attractive private bedrooms in a home in a peaceful residential neighborhood. Residents/families are asked to help cover the costs of care to the best of their ability.

      Patty (my wife) and were among the founders and we served as the volunteer management staff from opening in 2016 until early 2021. For more information see YourCaringHouse.org.

      End-of-life care homes – Hopewell House

      Hopewell House is an end-of-life care home in Portland, OR, and re-opened in early 2023. It’s an IRC 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping residents in the last weeks and days of their lives.

      All residents receive hospice services from the hospice agency of their choice. Freed from caregiving duties, family and friends can spend their time supporting and connecting with their loved one and each other.

      Hopewell House has twelve attractive private bedrooms in a home in on a beautiful 4.5-acre property in SW Portland. Residents/families are asked to help cover the costs of care to the best of their ability. Hopewell House is able to accept Medicaid as payment for Medicaid-elibible residents.

      Patty and I now live in Portland, OR, and are glad to support Hopewell House as volunteers and donors. For more information see HopewellHousePDX.org.

      End-of-life care homes – Omega Home Network

      The Omega Home Network is a nonprofit national membership organization that promotes development and expansion of community homes people who are dying. Through information sharing, consultation and educational offerings, the Network provides direct assistance to those developing and operating homes in their communities.

      Members of the network are independent homes for end-of-life care located across the U.S., either currently operating or in development. They vary in size, appearance and internal policies and operate under different state and local rules — but share a common foundation and philosophy.

      For more information see OmegaHomeNetwork.org.

      Care Planning

      We all deserve peace at the end of life. Care planning can help assure that we find that peace.

      Choose the Right Person

      A key component is successful care planning is choosing the right person to make decisions.

      • Advance directives are crucial and valuable, and an excellent way to name who will speak for you.
      • The success of an advance directive depends on the person named in the advance directive to make care decisions. In other words, an advance directive is only as effective as the person you name.
      • See this free and simple 2-page guide to help you choose the right person. Key selection factors: legal age; clearheadedness; availability; communicating about personal things; asserting and persuading; honoring your wishes.

      What’s Important to You?

      It’s also important to think and communicate about what’s important to you, and to keep that up to date. Here’s a handy one-page template for sorting out what’s important to you. With the template you sit down and list up to ten things that are important to you (the template has a few examples). Then you set it aside for a day or so, coming back and crossing off half of the items — refining what’s most important to you.

      Peace at the End

      The Peace at the End project pulls together information and resources on care planning and decision-making.

      Questions? If you have questions, suggestions or other feedback for me use the Contact and Ask page.

      The 99 Highest Revenue Nonprofits

      Here’s our list of the 99 nonprofits with the highest revenues as they’ve reported to the IRS (United States Internal...
      Read More
      The 99 Highest Revenue Nonprofits

      The 99 Wealthiest Nonprofits

      Here's our list of the 99 wealthiest nonprofits based on the book value of total assets they report to the...
      Read More
      The 99 Wealthiest Nonprofits

      Sister Mary Perfecta’s Big Day

      Sister Mary Perfecta teaches 4th grade at Our Lady of Intermittent Sorrows. It's time to fix the direction of education...
      Read More
      Sister Mary Perfecta’s Big Day

      IRS warns of scammers using fake charities to exploit taxpayers

      Fake charities a year-round plagueWhether tying themselves to a prominent cause or preying on compassion related to a natural disaster,...
      Read More
      IRS warns of scammers using fake charities to exploit taxpayers

      Mileage rates for 2023

      The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2023 optional standard mileage rates. They're used to calculate the deductible costs of...
      Read More
      Mileage rates for 2023

      Protect your year-end donation deductions – 2022 – a Q&A

      Question #1: You use your credit card to donate to a qualified charity on December 31 this year. You don't...
      Read More
      Protect your year-end donation deductions – 2022 – a Q&A

      Tax-free IRA donations are Smart!

      Give and Grin. If you are age 70½ (70.5) or older you can donate from your IRA directly to the...
      Read More
      Tax-free IRA donations are Smart!

      Together we can UP charity services by $36 billion a year

      Individuals (that's you, me, our friends, our neighbors) donate more than $366 billion to charities a year (direct giving (including...
      Read More
      Together we can UP charity services by $36 billion a year

      IRS warns that some crowdfunding money may be taxable to the recipient

      From the IRS: Crowdfunding is a popular way to raise money online. People often use crowdfunding to fundraise for a...
      Read More
      IRS warns that some crowdfunding money may be taxable to the recipient

      IRS reminds us all to donate carefully after disasters to avoid scams

      From the IRS: After an emergency or disaster, people rally to help victims by donating money. Unfortunately, this can give...
      Read More
      IRS reminds us all to donate carefully after disasters to avoid scams