India has around 3.2 million registered NGOs working around the clock to help people, communities, and ecosystems in need on a daily basis. While there is no dearth of charities, new donors often find it difficult to decide whom to donate and support.
That’s why Helplocal decided to answer the question, ‘how to donate to NGO and charity’! If you wish to get involved in charity and NGO work in 2021, then, this is the perfect guide for you!
How to donate to NGO in India
Read on to discover the best way to donate for the first time and connect with NGOs that really need financial and community support.
Decide the cause and goal
Most NGOs work for a specific cause. It can be animal welfare, disaster recovery, medical support, senior care, environment protection, childcare, or anything else. That’s why you first must decide what you feel most passionately and deeply about. The search for the NGOs and charities will commence later on.
If donation is on your mind, then, your goal matters too. A lot of people engage in donations for tax rebates and PR. Hence, pondering on this will help too.
Create a list of NGOs
The first step without doubt is to search for NGOs that match your values and support goals. Create a list of NGOs active at a local level or national level. Locating an NGO nearby to donate funds and lend support is something we highly recommend since small local NGOs often don’t get community support.
Google for NGOs nearby and far away to discover names of charities working at the ground level. Keep reading our ‘how to donate to charity’ guide for more insights!
Consider support options
Not all NGOs are looking for monetary donations. Some charities and nonprofits also accept support in terms of supplies, professional help, and volunteer support. People who want to work with NGOs but don’t have deep pockets should focus on identifying organizations that are more interested in volunteer work.
In case you wish to help through financial means, well, there are plenty of options out there.
Choose monetary support type
Want to support through monetary donation? You have more options to pick from. Modern NGOs and charities give donors the option to lend a helping hand in many ways. While the option of one-time donation is most popular, monthly or yearly donation subscriptions are gaining popularity as well.
So, do spend time deciding how you want to start your support journey. For first-time donors with limited cash flow or income, we recommend make a small contribution first.
Are you running a nonprofit in India? Learn how to raise funding for your NGO
Check authenticity
While there are hundreds of thousands of NGOs active in India, not all of them are registered with the government. This is especially true about small local NGOs and support groups. So, you are looking for a verified and registered NGO, this step is very crucial.
Asking for the registration number and tax exemption certificate is the best available way to check whether the NGO is a genuine one or not. Don’t forget to check the shared details on a government website!
Check payment options
Most NGOs and nonprofits are giving people the freedom to lend monetary support as per their comfort. Major charities in India are currently accepting support for their bank drafts, direct transfers, UPI payments, subscriptions, and much more.
Small local non government organizations usually accept payments through mobile wallets. So, consider all the options and pick the one that best fits your convenience.
Learn what Helplocal is all about and why it matters
Best time to donate
Donations are a great way to mark special days, events, and memories. A lot of youngsters in India spend their birthday with less privileged people in orphan homes and senior care centres to make them feel special.
Distributing sweets on Diwali and gifts on Eid is also something that will add value to your effort and will help the vulnerable individuals as well. So, timing is another factor that you can keep in mind during your donation effort.
Discover local NGOs near you to donate and support charities of India.
How to donate to charity in India
We hope our guide on ‘how to donate to an NGO’ helped you make a little sense of donating your funds and supplies.
Helplocal is trying to bring together local NGOs of India to simplify volunteer work, donations, and awareness. Email us at hello@helplocal.in to collaborate with us to make a difference at a local level.
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