Smart Giving

Do you have trouble picking among the 3,500 charities competing for your donations in the Combined Federal Campaign? This year, there's extra help in the form of GuideStar, a tool that compiles mountains of information on nonprofits so givers can give wisely.

Access to GuideStar's most comprehensive and searchable database usually costs $1,000 a year. But to familiarize federal employees -- many of whom hold the grant-making positions to which the company markets itself -- GuideStar is offering them a seven-day free trial to assist in decisions about CFC donations.

The CFC began in 1961 when President Kennedy kicked off workplace giving for federal employees. Last year, civilian and military federal workers donated $269 million to charities, with an average gift of $214 each.

The campaign runs until the end of the year, though each agency can begin it any time between now and then. Thousands of charities vie for federal donations; this season the Washington area is filled with advertisements from nonprofits seeking government employees' donations.

Anthony De Cristofaro, executive director of the CFC in the Washington area, partnered with GuideStar to offer the tool, dubbed Gov@GuideStar. De Cristofaro said all donors fall somewhere on a 10-point spectrum.

"One is skepticism and 10 is altruism," De Cristofaro said. "When people feel good about giving, that's when they're going to lean toward the 10."

GuideStar offers information on charities' finances, their mission and trends in growth. Users can see what percentage of money taken in goes to overhead and how much goes directly to the cause. The information is gleaned from Internal Revenue Service forms that nonprofits are required to file annually.

Users also can search for nonprofits that provide specific services, such as art museums or Alzheimer's disease research. Charities can be compared by how much their chief executive officer makes, or what their overhead is, within specific categories.

GuideStar requires federal users to enter contact information and some details about their agency and job function in order to get the free trial. There's no credit card information required, though, so it's not one of those free trials where you eventually end up paying.

Unlike some competitors such as Charity Navigator, GuideStar does not rate organizations. That is because they believe there are too many subjective factors to make fair ratings. Food banks may cost less to run than art museums, but it doesn't mean they're everyone's pick.

Already, federal employees have a catalog with 25-word descriptions of the CFC choices. This year, De Cristofaro hopes donations will get more bang for their buck. Gov@GuideStar's motto is "Give with Confidence."