TODAY'S TURN: Give like an investor

When we give to a non-profit or charitable program, we like to know that it's on the up and up. People don't want to feel used or perpetuate the problem - is the money really going to buy rice for those barefoot kids or am I just funding a new Bentley for their "leader"? Personally, I also like to know whether the program works or not.

Here's the problem: cynicism in many cases can cost lives. Fraud and ineffective programs keep piles of much-needed checks from ever being written.

Geneva Global is part of a "performance philantropy" approach that researches programs and charities as if they were investing in a company. That means looking for potential, researching claims and expecting results. It's where the world of mutual funds meets the world of philanthropy. You choose a fund just as you would a mutual fund, you get reports on how well they're performing, and you get assurances that your money is having the impact you want it to have.

CLICK HERE TO DO THIS GOOD TURN
Here is a full list of the funds in play right now.
Here is their Gift Giving Catalog from December 2008.