Giving Green | 5 Tips to Make Your 2016 Charitable Donations More Sustainable

The year-end holidays always serve as a reflection point for me. If you’re like me, the last week of the year is a great time to make your annual charitable donations. Not only can you (and/or your business) help causes you’re passionate about—you can also reduce your 2016 taxable income. Take this opportunity to do something special for your favorite non-profit!
 
This year, why not green your giving? As 2016 wraps up, I am slanting my giving to a few select environmental non-profits. Every year my concern grows about current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts from the changing climate. The recent data about the artic warming are uniquely alarming, especially for those in coastal communities.
 
In 2016, we witnessed unprecedented progress in collective actions from the public and private sectors to acknowledge and address climate change impacts—from the 200+ countries that signed the Paris Agreement—to the trillions of investment dollars shifting to companies with strong environmental, social and governance programs—to state and local efforts—to large businesses increasing their sustainability commitments and disclosures—to the growing number of B Corporations.  
 
Some of the U.S. presidential campaign rhetoric and president-elect nominations, on the other hand, cast a pall on the common ground forged in 2016. With uncertainty at the U.S. federal level, the importance of environmental non-profits is greater than ever. From Apple to Leonardo to Zuckerberg—sustainable giving is the thing to do in 2016.
 
As you reflect how to increase your green giving, here are a few questions to ask to help align your giving with what’s most critical—from a sustainability perspective—to you. These questions will help identify what’s important and serve a general strategy to guide you as you select one (or more) environmental charities. All are in need of your support. Many organizations address multiple factors.

5 Factors to Focus Your Green Charitable Donations

1. Local, regional, or global? Where do you want to make your impact? Do you want to help an organization that’s focused on your backyard, your neighborhood, or your planet?
2. Research, advocacy, or action? How do you think it’s best to tackle the issues you are most concerned about?
3. Climate-focused, other issues (e.g., water quality/security), or general? What issues have you most concerned?
4. Media specific (i.e., water, land, air)? Do you feel that one medium requires more attention?
5. Conservation, natural resource/wildlife preservation, economic opportunity, or social equity? Are there particular aspects that are inspiring you to give?

Resources for Supporting Climate Resiliency and other Environmental Causes 
After you’ve focused on the reasons for giving and have a general strategy, here are some resources about environmental non-profits. Most are national (U.S.) or global. If you want to give locally, use these and the general resource list below to help you with your research and selection process.

• From Bill Moyers | http://billmoyers.com/2014/02/07/five-groups-leading-the-charge-to-halt-climate-change/
• From Bustle | https://www.bustle.com/articles/195099-environmental-organizations-to-donate-to-now-that-a-climate-change-denier-will-be-our-president
• From Charity Navigator | https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.categories&categoryid=4
• From Charity Watch (select Environment) | https://www.charitywatch.org/top-rated-charities
• From Mother Jones | http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2006/03/guide-environmental-non-profits
• From Mother Nature Network | http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/blogs/21-environmental-charities-you-should-know-about
• From Philanthropedia | https://www.myphilanthropedia.org/top-nonprofits/national/climate-change/2012
• From Project Greenify | http://www.projectgreenify.com/post/31336789929/10-best-green-charities#.WFrYOHeZPXE

A Few of My Favorite Things | 14 Links to Help Make the Most of Your Donations
Many organizations provide other tips and resources to guide your charitable giving. Here are a few of my favorites—first focusing on general (primarily individual) donations; and, secondly, on corporate philanthropy.
 
General Charitable Donation Resources
Here are six general resources to guide your charitable donations.

• From Consumer Reports | http://www.consumerreports.org/charities/best-charities-for-your-donations/
• From Forbes | http://www.forbes.com/sites/lawrencelight/2016/12/21/4-smart-yearend-strategies-to-make-charitable-gifts/#120c8ba91541
• From GuideStar | https://trust.guidestar.org/tips-for-choosing-a-charity-a-donors-10-step-guide-for-giving-wisely     
• From Philanthropedia | https://www.myphilanthropedia.org/guide_to_better_giving
• From New York Times | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/08/giving/how-to-choose-a-charity-wisely.html
• From WalletHub | https://wallethub.com/edu/best-charities-to-donate-to/28658/

 
And a couple newer—slightly contrarian—perspectives that I like.

• From TED | http://blog.ted.com/how-to-pick-the-charity-thats-right-for-you/ 
• From Entrepreneur | https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/271913

 
Resources for Business to Consider and Boost Charitable Engagements:
Here are six resources to guide your corporation’s charitable donations and engagement.

• From EarthShare | http://www.earthshare.org/earthshareatwork.html
• From Forbes | http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2013/09/18/how-to-incorporate-charity-into-your-business-model/#4ea4821e266c
• From Huffington Post | http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-de-buitleir/5-reasons-charity-is-popular-among-big-business-and-celebs_b_8100038.html
• ​From Inc. | http://www.inc.com/molly-reynolds/why-giving-to-charity-is-good-for-business.html
• From Kabbage | https://www.kabbage.com/blog/5-reasons-your-business-should-support-a-charity
• From Quickbooks | http://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/money/charitable-giving-is-good-for-your-business/

 
What other tips or resources would you add to this list? I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts in the comments below.
 
Thank you for reading my post. Here at Corporate Sustainability Advisors LLC blog and at LinkedIn, I regularly write about organizational, community, and personal sustainability. If you would like to read my future posts then please click 'Subscribe to Blog' and feel free to also connect via Twitter and Facebook.