Most efficient charity to leave my money to 12 November 2014 at 11:30AM in Charities 27 replies 5.4K views

whitejohn

Looking for the most efficient charities to leave my money to.

Main preference is for children's charities in the UK, terminally ill, cancer and cruelty of children.

I don't want to be funding high salaries and expensive company cars as I have witnessed.

A charity that would assist in making my will and executing it would be good. I am leaving 25% of my assets to my friend and the other 75% to charity.

Genuine positive and constructive advice only please.

I don't want to be getting involved with forum arguments.

Thank you

debonair

Have you thought about creating a grant giving trust? Administered by trusted friends and/or family members, decide a min/max amount people can apply for. You can set the criteria eg cancer sufferer needing funding for specialist equipment, holiday, medical care, etc. People could apply and the board can meet as often as you like to discuss and administer funding for successful applications. You can set the conditions
eg no applications from wage paying organisations. I don't know the size of your estate, you could pay out just interest or use up the money and wind up the trust when the money has all been used.
Most of the larger charities pay huge wages and admin costs. By giving your money away in small, individual parcels you can be sure every penny is spent in the way you wish. You are quite right to want your money to be spent efficiently, on the things that are important to you.

whitejohn

debonair wrote: »

Have you thought about creating a grant giving trust? Administered by trusted friends and/or family members, decide a min/max amount people can apply for. You can set the criteria eg cancer sufferer needing funding for specialist equipment, holiday, medical care, etc. People could apply and the board can meet as often as you like to discuss and administer funding for successful applications. You can set the conditions
eg no applications from wage paying organisations. I don't know the size of your estate, you could pay out just interest or use up the money and wind up the trust when the money has all been used.
Most of the larger charities pay huge wages and admin costs. By giving your money away in small, individual parcels you can be sure every penny is spent in the way you wish. You are quite right to want your money to be spent efficiently, on the things that are important to you.

Thanks will give that some thought as I would like it to go direct to needy people, would be great if I was around to administer it but unfortunately not so need to make sure it's well organised.

Cyberman60

Just don't consider RSPB:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2817171/Botham-hits-RSPB-dictators-SIX-Cricket-legend-savages-charity-spending-donated-millions-TV-ads-56m-pension-deficit-forgetting-birds.html

whitejohn

Cyberman60 wrote: »

Just don't consider RSPB:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2817171/Botham-hits-RSPB-dictators-SIX-Cricket-legend-savages-charity-spending-donated-millions-TV-ads-56m-pension-deficit-forgetting-birds.html

Thanks!
That's exactly why I'm concerned about giving away my hard earned cash to such charities. In fact I now think I should be doing something completely different.

debonair

Setting up a trust or something similar is not the easiest option but well worth the effort. It's better to still be in control of your money via something you have set up and put in place for after you have gone, than just trust to luck and hope your wishes are not swept aside.

Paulaviki

How about looking for a smaller local charity like a children's hospice?

whitejohn

Paulaviki wrote: »

How about looking for a smaller local charity like a children's hospice?

Yes I will keep looking thanks. I did find one but they were talking £35,000 pa per person for wages and I thought very expensive when so many people volunteer, it's more like a business but maybe I'm wrong? Nothing's cheap is it.

Mojisola

whitejohn wrote: »

Yes I will keep looking thanks. I did find one but they were talking £35,000 pa per person for wages and I thought very expensive when so many people volunteer, it's more like a business but maybe I'm wrong? Nothing's cheap is it.

If you want to give money to charities run entirely by volunteers, you'll have to look at very small ones.

SailorSam

If you find somewhere Op that's not going to cream a lot off the top, let me know i'm in a similar position.

whitejohn

Mojisola wrote: »

If you want to give money to chariI run entirely by volunteers, you'll have to look at very small ones.

I'm not rich but I've had some great adventures, outdoor life and holidays. I would like some kids to have a similar experience and I've just remembered that last year I met someone collecting for a small charity that sent terminally ill children on a great holiday. Must remember the name.