How to Automate Your Charitable Giving and Make a Positive Impact

 Charitable giving is one of the best ways to make a positive impact in the world. It can help you support causes that you care about, improve the lives of others, and create a legacy of generosity. However, charitable giving can also be challenging, time-consuming, and overwhelming. You may not know which charities to choose, how much to give, or how to track your donations. You may also forget to give regularly, or feel guilty about not giving enough.

That’s why automating your charitable giving can be a great solution. Automating your charitable giving means setting up a system that automatically deducts a certain amount of money from your income or bank account and sends it to your chosen charities on a regular basis. This way, you can save time, hassle, and stress, and ensure that you are giving consistently and effectively.

But how do you automate your charitable giving and make a positive impact? Here are some steps you can follow:

1. Set a budget and a goal. The first step is to set a budget and a goal for your charitable giving. You need to decide how much money you can afford to give, and how often you want to give. You also need to decide what kind of impact you want to make, and what causes or issues you want to support. For example, you may want to give 10% of your income every month, and support causes such as education, health, or environment.
2. Choose the best charities for your goal. The next step is to choose the best charities for your goal. You need to do some research and find charities that are reputable, effective, and aligned with your values and interests. You can use tools and websites such as Charity Navigator, GiveWell, or Effective Altruism to evaluate and compare different charities based on their ratings, impact, transparency, and accountability. You can also look for charities that have tax-deductible status, matching programs, or recurring donation options. For example, you may want to choose charities such as UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, or The Nature Conservancy.
3. Set up an automated donation system. The third step is to set up an automated donation system that will send your money to your chosen charities on a regular basis. You can use tools and apps such as RoundUp App, Giving Assistant, or Charity Charge to automate your donations from your credit card, debit card, or bank account. You can also use tools such as Donorbox, PayPal Giving Fund, or Network for Good to create recurring donations from your online accounts. For example, you may want to use RoundUp App to round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and donate the change to your favorite charity every month.
4. Track and review your donations. The fourth step is to track and review your donations and their impact. You need to keep track of how much money you are giving, which charities you are supporting, and what kind of difference you are making. You can use tools and apps such as Mint, Goodbudget, or EveryDollar to track your donations and budget. You can also use tools such as ImpactMatters, Charity Impact Calculator, or Giving What We Can to estimate the impact of your donations on the lives of others. For example, you may want to use ImpactMatters to see how many lives you have saved or improved with your donations.
5. Adjust and improve your system. The fifth step is to adjust and improve your system as needed. You need to evaluate your system periodically and see if it is working for you and your goals. You may want to increase or decrease your budget, change or add new charities, or switch or update your tools and apps. You may also want to seek feedback from the charities you support, or join communities of other donors who share your values and interests. For example, you may want to join Giving Tuesday or Effective Altruism groups to learn more about effective giving and connect with other givers.

By following these steps, you can automate your charitable giving and make a positive impact in the world.