Homegrown organizations can require additional research because they may not be scrutinized as intensely as larger nonprofits. Miniutti's advice for avoiding scams: Make sure the governing board has at least five independent members who make up the voting majority. "You don't want to see a situation where the board includes the CEO's husband, daughter, and son-in-law," she says. Another option is to pick a national charity that works on the local level, like
Donors Choose, which can direct your donation to a nearby classroom that needs it.
