At American Kids Cancer Fund, although we love your charitable donations, we would like all of our potential donors to ask themselves a couple of questions before donating. We want our donors to be confident in their donations to American Kids Cancer Fund.

1. Does your charity clearly articulate its mission and programs? Organizations who can clearly explain who they are and what they are trying to accomplish have a clear purpose and a strong commitment to focused institutional change. The charities that know who they are, what they do, and why they are needed are usually good organizations.

2. Does your charity have its short-term and long-term goals defined? This is essential because you want to be sure that they are working towards a goal and that they know what they are working towards for the present and for the future.

3. Is your charity able to inform you of the progress it has made towards its goal? It’s important to know that your contributions and charitable donations are making progress towards the charity’s greater goal, whether it is their short-term goal or long-term goal.

4. Do the programs of your charity make sense? If your charity’s mission statement and purpose is clear and you support the mission of this organization, you should ask yourself whether or not their programs make sense. You want to ensure that the organization is working towards that end result and that it seems rational and productive.

5. Is your charity trustworthy? You should feel confident and knowledgeable of your charity. Your charity should be responsible, honest, and well-managed. If you have time, you should call the president of the organization and ask questions that you need answered before you can be assured that this is good use of your money.

6. Are you willing to make a long-term commitment to your organization? Most donors feel compelled to help others and feel that their charity is the type of organization that they are willing to make a charitable donation to and are willing to make a long-term commitment to. When you find your charity, make sure you tell them that you will be there through thick and thin, and continue to support them, especially during economic downturns. An organization that you can support for many years to come will promise to continue to work hard to address the issues that you both agree is vital.