How are charities classified?

There are many different charities available out there. So how do you find the right charity for you or your company? The first step is to find a cause you or your company are passionate about. If your company focuses on products that are environmently friendly maybe you should look into an environmental protection charity. This would allow your company to promote its product to the right demographic market and support its charity.

So with so many charities out there it is best to categorize them and then place them in sub-categories, such as specific causes. Although there are too many to list them all, here is a general list of popular charities by category.

Animals:

Animal Rights, welfare and services
Wildlife Conservation
Zoos and Aquariums

Arts, Culture and Humanities:

Libraries
Historical Societies and Landmark Preservation
Museums
Performing Arts
Public Broadcasting & Media

Education:

Universities and Technical Schools
Private Schools
Private Liberal Arts Schools
Grants based on certain criteria
Other Educational Programs and Services

Environment:

Environmental Protection and Conservation
Parks, Nature Centers and Botanical Gardens

Health:

Diseases and Disorders
Treatment and Prevention Services
Medical Research

Human Services

Children & Family Services
Youth Development, Shelter and Crisis Centers
Food Banks, Pantries and Distribution
Homeless Services
Social Services

International:

Developement and Relief Services
International Peace and Affairs
Humanitarian Relief Services
Specific Country Support Agencies
Exchange Student Programs

Public Benefit:

Civil Rights and Advocacy
Fundraising Organizations
Research and Public Policy
Community Foundations
Community and Housing Development

Religion:

Religious Activities
Religious Media and Broadcasting
Religious promotion in other countries



The chart above shows donations by type of charitable organization in 1995.

This helps narrow your list down a bit. So there are a few that interest you and may apply to your company. How do you choose which cause specifically? It may be important to decide if you want to donate to your local community or a larger audience. Do you want to get your name out there and expand to new areas or would you like to stay focused on the area already known? These are important issues to negotiate while looking into charities.

So these are a few basic ideas to get you started. The next posting will be covering whether a local, national, or international charity will work best for you and how customers respond to each one.