Last month was breast cancer awareness month. Thankfully many groups joined in to promote breast cancer awareness. Professional football players even wore pink.

There are many places where you can give to this cause. How do you know your money is going to the cancer charity where it will do the most good?

In an article Give Back and Make It Count by Marjorie Korn in the October 2012 issue of Self, Korn mentions checking with the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance before giving. You will discover how much of your money is going to the cause, how much to fundraising and how much to administration.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance suggests charities direct at least 65% of their money to programs rather than fundraising and overhead. Korn lists the three best cancer charities and the three worst ones.

The best ones are as follows:

• Breast Cancer Research Foundation has 90% or more going to programs.
• Cancer Research Institute has 85% or so going to programs.
• Ovarian Cancer Research Fund also has 90% going to programs.

The worst ones are as follows:

• American Breast Cancer Foundation has only about 25% going to programs.
• National Cancer Center has less than 20% going to programs.
• United Breast Cancer Foundation ends up with about 45% going to programs.

Notice how the charities Korn listed as the worst have names that could easily entice you to give to them. A closer look at them will show a large percentage of the money going to fund-raising. Of course you want your money to go to the cause not to a fundraiser. Do your homework. Go to www.give.org before giving money.

Source: http://www.self.com/health/2012/10/cancer-charities