What is a Charity?
Charities are organizations whose primary goals are charity and social well-being. charitable, educational, religious or any other activity serving the public interest or common benefit.
There are many legal differences between countries regarding the definitions of charitable organizations (and charity). There are many differences in the regulation, tax treatment and how charity law impacts charitable organizations. Charitable organizations may not profit individuals or entities from any funds they have. However, there have been instances where charitable organizations were criticized for using a large portion of their income to pay their leaders’ salaries.
Charity Definition
Charities are people who care about a cause and work together to make a difference. There will be a charity that works on your cause, no matter what it may be. There are many ways charities can help. The main ones include providing help, information and raising awareness.
Types of Charities
Animal Charities
Who doesn’t love animals? These groups may all be passionate about animals, but they are not always in love with each other. You can further break down this type of charity into four distinct groups.
- Conservation organizations for wildlife
- Pet and Animal Welfare Organizations
- Hunting & Fishing Conservation Groups
- Aquariums and Zoos
Environmental Charities
Environmental Charities are focused on ways to preserve, appreciate, and promote sustainable development for nature.
These are the two main subgroups of this type charity:
- Environmental Conservation & Protection
- Parks and Nature Centers
International NGOs
These orgs are usually charities with headquarters in one country, but they work in another country. Sometimes they may overlap with other types of charities.
- International Development NGOs
- Disaster Relief & Humanitarian NGOs
- Peace & Human Rights NGOs
- Conservation NGOs
- Organizations that sponsor children
Health Charities
The health charities address everything, from treating and supporting the disabled to finding cures for diseases and raising awareness about specific health risks.
- Charities for Disease & Disorder
- Medical Services & Treatment
- Medical Research Charities
- Charities for Family and Patient Support
Education Charities
Students of all ages are served by education charities. They act as educational institutions and help make education more accessible and more effective.
- Private Elementary, Jr. High, & High Schools
- Universities and Colleges
- Financial aid and scholarships
- School Reform and Experimental Education
- Students, teachers, parents and other support
Arts and Culture Charities
These charities preserve and celebrate cultural heritage and the arts.
- Museums & Art Galleries
- Performing Arts
- Libraries & Historical Societies
- Public Broadcasting and Media
Charities and Church Financing
Most Charities are different from Church Financing because Churches encourage charitable activity among their members. See how churches can raise financing with our Church Financing Checklist. Christians, for example, frequently use the term “stewardship” or “tithing” to refer to financial giving, whereas Jews use “tzedakah” to refer to “acts of charity,” which include charitable giving. “Charity” is defined broadly as “the voluntary giving of money or other assistance to those in need.
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Location: Lubbock, Texas, United States
Work:Owner/Broker @ HubCityLending
Education:University of Texas at the Permian Basin, Master of Business Administration, 1999 – 2001
