How to Choose the Right Children's Nonprofit

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering which children’s charity to donate to, you’re not alone. With so many kids’ nonprofits out there to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which one is most worthy of your hard-earned money – and, more importantly, which ones are truly making an impact on children’s lives. Unfortunately, many well-meaning people fall victim to charity scams every year, and some organizations even exploit children for their own gain. Before you open your wallet, here’s how to ensure you’re contributing to a legitimate cause and really helping make life better for children.

Mercy, 7, in Chongwe District, Zambia.

1. The best children’s nonprofits can tell you where your money is going. 

Transparency is all-important when it comes to choosing which children’s charity to donate to. Any children’s organization should have their financial information publicly available on their website and be able to explain exactly how your dollars are being used to help children. If they don’t, or if you feel like representatives of the organization are dodging your questions, it’s worth questioning how much of the funds are actually reaching the ones who need it most.

One easy way to vet nonprofits is to use a charity-rating tool like Charity Navigator. ChildFund is proud to have a 100% transparency rating through this independent watchdog service. We are accountable to our donors and sponsors – as any trustworthy children’s nonprofit should be.

2. When choosing which children’s charity to donate to, look for examples of real impact. 

The best children’s nonprofits have a proven track record of success, whether they’re a few years old or several decades old. They can tell stories about real children whose lives have been transformed through their work. It’s not enough for them to tell you that such stories exist – you must be able to see proof.

As Ebrima Sonko, a young man from The Gambia who was sponsored through ChildFund as a child, once said, a trustworthy children’s nonprofit should function as “a support system for people who are left out.” It should exist to serve the needs of children and families who may not be able to find help on their own, and it should regularly deliver on those promises in concrete, practical ways. When choosing which children’s charity to donate to, research as much as you can about how they work and how they measure impact. For example, if you’re looking to support an international children’s nonprofit, make sure that they work through local partner organizations so that local people are really owning and reaping the benefits of the positive changes taking place.

Lucy, 9, is a sponsored child living in Katakwi District, Uganda.

3. Choose the right children’s nonprofit for your values. 

Take time to research the mission and vision of the organization you’re considering donating to. Are they an accurate reflection of your own beliefs and values? What issues are most important to you: Protecting kids from violence? Making sure they have the basics they need to thrive, like nutritious food and clean water? Or do you just want the chance to mentor a child in need of a little encouragement?

At ChildFund, our values are rooted in the power of human connection – the life-changing magic that can happen when people choose to help someone else in spite of their differences. Since 1938, we’ve been connecting caring people to the children who need help the most. As a result, thousands of children have received the support they need to become healthy adults – and thousands of supporters have found joy and meaning in our mission. 

No matter which children’s charity you choose to donate to, the most important thing is to do your homework. With a little time and effort – and maybe a few in-depth conversations – you can ensure that your charitable giving goes as far as possible to reach the kids who need it most.

Felista, 8, in Mumbwa District, Zambia.