People helping people is one wonderful thing that has been a constant all through history. Remember the good Samaritan in the Bible, the women who helped Jesus during his ministry, and the man who gave up his tomb after the crucifixion. There are many philanthropic organizations today. Among them are hundreds of public charities that operate throughout the world.
A philanthropic organization is called a charity when it promotes the common good without expecting to turn a profit. The earliest attempts outside of religious entities were in London in the mid-eighteenth century. Wealthy aristocrats decided to help the most destitute in the city. Later, some charities formed by wealthy men did much good and at the same time rendered a monetary gain to their investors. This is not often the case in modern times, when non-profit organizations abound.
The first effort was the Foundling Hospital, which took abandoned children off the streets of the city and sought to give them food, shelter, and skills that would help them as adults. The Magdalen Hospital hoped to rescue girls from prostitution and set them on the path to a better life. Others gave families land to grow food on, since wages were woefully inadequate.
Today there are educational non-profits, ones that provide food, clean water, and shelter to the poor, others that hope to save endangered species or environmental treasures, and others that work with the homeless. The classification of 'public' or 'private' is dependent on tax codes and civic regulations. These will differ in every nation, as charities abound around the globe.
In the US, a public charity needs support from many individual donors, as well as a mission and a plan to accomplish it. It must be actively engaged in the good works it performs. Private organizations may be funded primarily by one individual or corporation. They often give grants to other organizations that actually deliver the benefits, rather than doing such works themselves.
Public groups get the money they need from individuals, from the government, and from grants given by private groups. If an entity is non-profit, as most are, it pays no taxes. Scams and greed abound in this arena, but much good is done by reputable organizations.
There are IRS guidelines and regulations that seek to make sure that this system is not used as a tax dodge. Some non-profits are agencies that evaluate charitable groups so donors can be assured that their gifts are being used properly and efficiently. If too much is spent on administration, kept inactive in bank accounts, or wasted in inefficient efforts, the examiners will not award a high rating.
Some charities are localized, like ones that work in Appalachia or in a particular African nation. Others may be international, with outreach in many countries. Some may limit their efforts to providing scholarships for minority students or to protecting the habitat for one species, while others may have flexibility in how they help. There are those that are more political than others. Anyone who wishes to help the less fortunate will be able to find a way to give.
A philanthropic organization is called a charity when it promotes the common good without expecting to turn a profit. The earliest attempts outside of religious entities were in London in the mid-eighteenth century. Wealthy aristocrats decided to help the most destitute in the city. Later, some charities formed by wealthy men did much good and at the same time rendered a monetary gain to their investors. This is not often the case in modern times, when non-profit organizations abound.
The first effort was the Foundling Hospital, which took abandoned children off the streets of the city and sought to give them food, shelter, and skills that would help them as adults. The Magdalen Hospital hoped to rescue girls from prostitution and set them on the path to a better life. Others gave families land to grow food on, since wages were woefully inadequate.
Today there are educational non-profits, ones that provide food, clean water, and shelter to the poor, others that hope to save endangered species or environmental treasures, and others that work with the homeless. The classification of 'public' or 'private' is dependent on tax codes and civic regulations. These will differ in every nation, as charities abound around the globe.
In the US, a public charity needs support from many individual donors, as well as a mission and a plan to accomplish it. It must be actively engaged in the good works it performs. Private organizations may be funded primarily by one individual or corporation. They often give grants to other organizations that actually deliver the benefits, rather than doing such works themselves.
Public groups get the money they need from individuals, from the government, and from grants given by private groups. If an entity is non-profit, as most are, it pays no taxes. Scams and greed abound in this arena, but much good is done by reputable organizations.
There are IRS guidelines and regulations that seek to make sure that this system is not used as a tax dodge. Some non-profits are agencies that evaluate charitable groups so donors can be assured that their gifts are being used properly and efficiently. If too much is spent on administration, kept inactive in bank accounts, or wasted in inefficient efforts, the examiners will not award a high rating.
Some charities are localized, like ones that work in Appalachia or in a particular African nation. Others may be international, with outreach in many countries. Some may limit their efforts to providing scholarships for minority students or to protecting the habitat for one species, while others may have flexibility in how they help. There are those that are more political than others. Anyone who wishes to help the less fortunate will be able to find a way to give.
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Get a summary of the things to consider before selecting public charities and more information about a great charity organization at http://tableofplentyhmb.org/board-of-directors now.
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