Before You Give, Check Out These Charities

Whether you call it insurance for some good karma, paying it forward or just doing your due diligence, giving back — especially when you might be someone who could use a little giving-to yourself — is never a bad thing.

At the tight spot so many are finding themselves in presently, the stakes are a little higher for what one can do. All the more reason to be sure that whatever charity you're choosing is a reputable, bona fide do-good one where your hard-earned dollars will be put to the best use.

The Daily Green suggests these three:

1.) GreatNonProfits.com, a nonprofit that helps support other nonprofits — particularly the grassroots organizations that, as the Daily Green points out, go largely unsupported and unrecognized because they are smaller, local outfits.

2.) Guidestar.org is a site that lists the tax filings of over 1.8 million nonprofits in the country, so you can see how the donated money is allocated, from staff salaries and beyond.

3.) CharityNavigator.org is similar to Guidestar.org, as it compiles the money allocations of the 5,400 most prominent nonprofits. "Charity Navigator aims to break down the effectiveness and fiscal health of an organization into a simple four-star rating so potential donors can make sure their dollars are being spent well," writes the Daily Green.

With a little more insight into the workings of where exactly your funds go, you can feel just that much better — and secure — about helping out.

Photo courtesy of Billy Alexander@sxc.hu.