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Thoughtful Year-End Giving: Understanding How to Make Informed and Meaningful Charitable Decisions

With numerous charities and causes, deciding how and where to donate can be challenging. Here are six tips to help donors decide where their support can have the most impact.

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Direct Relief staff prepare medical supplies for shipment from Direct Relief's Santa Barbara warehouse to Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, after Super Typhoon Yutu damaged many homes and health facilities. (Lara Cooper/Direct Relief)
By Brea Burkholz

As the year comes to a close, many people explore ways to make meaningful year-end charitable contributions that reflect personal priorities. With one-third of annual giving occurring in December alone, this period offers an opportunity to support organizations working in areas that align with individual values.

For those seeking to make thoughtful and impactful charitable gifts during the holiday season, several considerations can help guide the decision-making process. These include identifying the issues that feel most significant and understanding how to evaluate nonprofit transparency, stewardship, and overall performance.

1. Consider Causes That Matter Most to You

A thoughtful approach to year-end giving often begins with identifying the issues and communities that resonate most strongly. Whether your interests include expanding access to healthcare, supporting disaster response, addressing hunger, protecting animals, or advancing another cause, clarifying these priorities can help guide meaningful and values-driven contributions.

2. Review Organizations Working in Those Areas

Once priorities are identified, taking time to understand how organizations operate in those areas can help inform better charitable decisions. Independent evaluators offer a useful starting point for assessing nonprofit accountability, financial health, and reported impact.

Resources such as Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, and GuideStar/Candid provide insight into nonprofit transparency, governance practices, use of donated resources, and program effectiveness. Reviewing information such as audited financial statements, annual reports, and program outcomes can offer a clearer picture of organizational reliability and impact.

These tools help illustrate how nonprofits manage resources and can support donors in identifying reputable organizations operating with strong accountability practices.

Stewardship, Accountability, and Transparency in Practice

Since 1948, Direct Relief has emphasized responsible stewardship of donated resources for people facing emergencies or barriers to care. This includes maintaining strong financial discipline, transparent reporting, and systems designed to support large-scale humanitarian operations.

A substantial portion of the organization’s revenue consists of in-kind donations of medicines and supplies from healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturers, valued at wholesale cost. This model helps ensure that resources are used efficiently and according to donor intent. Direct Relief also does not accept government funding, allowing for consistency, independence, and flexibility across programs.

Independent Recognitions

Direct Relief continues to receive recognition from leading charity evaluators for its operational standards and nonprofit performance. In 2025, the organization earned a 100% overall rating from Charity Navigator and its 15th consecutive Four-Star rating. Direct Relief is also one of only four U.S. organizations to receive a perfect score across all four Charity Navigator “beacons”: Accountability & Finance, Leadership & Adaptability, Culture & Community, and Impact & Measurement.

The organization additionally holds an A+ rating from CharityWatch and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid/GuideStar. These recognitions reflect a commitment to responsible stewardship, transparency, and clear reporting on program outcomes.

How Donated Resources Are Managed

Direct Relief allocates 100% of donor-designated contributions to the specific programs identified by donors and maintains one of the lowest administrative cost ratios in the charitable sector. Long-standing partnerships with transportation companies, medical manufacturers, and healthcare organizations support efficient distribution and program delivery.

In its most recent fiscal year, Direct Relief distributed 308 million defined daily doses of medicine to 2,636 healthcare facilities across 91 countries and all 50 U.S. states, along with donated pharmaceuticals, supplies, and equipment valued at $1.9 billion (wholesale). These figures highlight the scale at which donated resources are managed and the systems in place to ensure they reach communities in need.

Additional Considerations for Thoughtful Year-End Giving

3. Understand Potential Tax Considerations


Some individuals may want to consult with a tax professional to determine how various types of charitable contributions—such as cash, appreciated stock, or other assets—may offer tax advantages under current law.

4. Review Impact Reporting


Clear information about program outcomes, populations served, and long-term results can help illustrate how effectively an organization uses its resources to carry out its mission.

5. Explore Employer Matching Opportunities


Many workplaces offer matching gift programs that can extend the reach of individual charitable contributions.

6. Consider Ongoing Support


Some donors choose to provide recurring support throughout the year, helping organizations maintain continuity in programs and plan for future needs.

A Season of Generosity

Thoughtful year-end giving helps ensure that support reaches organizations making a positive difference in communities near and far. The holiday season often inspires people to look outward, and the generosity shown during this time has a meaningful ripple effect—strengthening communities and offering hope where it’s needed most.

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