How To Choose The Right Charitable Causes To Support

For many women, especially as we enter new phases of life, the desire to give back often becomes a central focus. Whether you’re in a season of newfound independence, facing life changes like becoming a grandparent or navigating retirement, charitable giving can be a meaningful way to support what matters most to you.

But with so many worthy causes, how do you decide where to give?

Selecting the right charitable causes isn’t just about choosing a good organization—it’s about aligning your giving with your personal values, experiences and the impact you want to have.

Here’s a guide to help you thoughtfully support your passions while making a lasting difference.

1. Reflect on What Matters Most to You

Your charitable giving should reflect your personal passions. Ask yourself: What has been important in your life? What causes have shaped your family or community? Maybe you have a personal connection to a specific issue, like a medical condition that has affected your loved ones, or perhaps you’ve long been passionate about environmental sustainability.

Here are some examples to get you thinking:

• Healthcare: Perhaps you’ve experienced firsthand the toll of a chronic illness in your family. Donating to organizations like the American Cancer Society or Alzheimer’s Association allows you to help others navigating similar challenges.

• Education: If you value education as a pathway for empowerment, you could consider supporting local schools, education nonprofits like Scholarship America, or mentoring programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters.

• Animal Welfare: For those with a heart for animals, supporting local shelters, or broader organizations like the Humane Society, can provide critical resources to ensure that animals in need are cared for and rehomed.

Reflecting on the areas that speak to you personally will help ensure your giving has meaning beyond just financial support.

2. Consider Your Legacy

For many women, especially in later stages of life, charitable giving becomes part of how we shape our legacy. Your donations reflect your values, and the causes you support now can be part of the legacy you leave behind for future generations.

Think about what kind of mark you want to leave on the world. Are there issues that are important to your family? How would you like your children or grandchildren to remember your contributions to society? For instance:

• Women’s Empowerment: If gender equality has been a driving force throughout your life, consider supporting causes like Girls Who Code, Planned Parenthood or local shelters that support women in crisis.

• Environmental Conservation: If your love for nature has been passed down through generations of family hikes or time spent outdoors, you might choose to donate to organizations like the Nature Conservancy or Sierra Club to ensure that natural spaces are protected for your children and grandchildren to enjoy.

• Faith-Based Organizations: For women with strong faith traditions, supporting a favorite charity within your church or a faith-based nonprofit, such as Catholic Relief Services or World Vision, can be a meaningful way to align your giving with your spiritual values.

Thinking about the long-term impact of your charitable gifts can make your giving even more personal and significant.

3. Do Your Research

Not all charities are created equal. It’s essential to ensure your contributions are going to responsible organizations that make effective use of their donations. Here are a few key things to research:

• Financial Transparency: Make sure the charity has a solid track record for handling donations wisely. Websites like Charity Navigatorv or GuideStar provide ratings based on transparency, accountability, and the percentage of donations that go directly to programs versus administrative costs.

• Impact and Outcomes: Some organizations have a more significant impact than others. For instance, while all local food banks provide critical services, charities like Feeding America have a large national reach and comprehensive programs that can amplify your gift’s impact. Another example: If you’re passionate about curing disease, donating to the American Heart Association—which funds research, community education, and patient support programs—ensures your contributions are being used effectively across a wide range of efforts.

4. Align Your Giving with Your Values

Once you’ve narrowed down a few causes, think about how your personal values align with the work these organizations are doing. For example:

• Community Impact: If local impact is important to you, consider smaller, community-focused organizations like a local food pantry, homeless shelter or the community foundation in your area. These smaller nonprofits can often make a bigger difference on a more personal scale, directly benefiting your neighbors.

• National or Global Reach: On the other hand, if your passion lies in tackling larger, systemic issues like climate change, you might prefer to support globally focused charities such as Doctors Without Borders or Oxfam, which work across many countries to address broad challenges.

Aligning your giving with your values ensures that your contributions reflect not only what you care about but also how you want your support to be felt.

5. Get Involved Beyond Financial Giving

For many women, giving is about more than just financial support. Being involved personally—whether through volunteering, serving on a board, or fundraising—can deepen your connection to the cause. Consider the following:

• Volunteering: If you’re passionate about education, consider tutoring at local schools or volunteering for an organization like Reading Partners, which supports struggling young readers.

• Board Membership: If you want a more hands-on role, consider joining the board of a nonprofit you support. Many organizations, such as local chapters of Habitat for Humanity or YWCA, are always looking for experienced women to help lead.

This personal involvement can provide a sense of fulfillment and allow you to see firsthand the difference your efforts make.

6. Be Thoughtful About Your Giving Plan

Finally, being strategic about your charitable giving can help you make the most of your contributions. Consider these options:

• Recurring Gifts: For organizations that you want to support on an ongoing basis, setting up recurring monthly donations to charities like UNICEF or Feeding America can help them maintain steady funding throughout the year.

• Planned Giving: If you’d like to leave a legacy through your estate, you can work with a financial advisor to set up charitable bequests, donor-advised funds, or even charitable remainder trusts. These can be designed to benefit causes you care about while also offering tax advantages for you and your heirs.

For instance, if you want to support education, setting up a scholarship fund at your alma mater could provide ongoing support for students in need while leaving a meaningful legacy in your name.

Final Thought: Giving with Purpose

Choosing the right charitable causes is a deeply personal decision, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. When you take the time to connect your giving to your passions and values, your charitable efforts become more than just financial transactions—they become a reflection of who you are and the difference you want to make in the world.

If you’d like help developing a charitable giving strategy that aligns with your financial goals, I’m here to help. Together, we can create a plan that supports the causes you love while also ensuring that your generosity has a lasting, meaningful impact.

Please Note: Raymond James is not affiliated with nor does it endorse any of the organizations or services noted above. Every investor's situation is unique and you should consider your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon before making any investment. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation.

The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete, it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision, and it does not constitute a recommendation. Any opinions are those of Lauren Smith and not necessarily those of Raymond James.