How to Make Sure Your Charity Dollars Count

December is the most popular month to give to charity. According to one recent study, donations spike as the calendar moves closer to New Year's Eve. But how do you know what good your money is actually doing? In recent years, economists have begun to analyze the effectiveness of many charitable programs – and many non-profits are shaping their work in response to those findings. So how do you find out what good your money is doing? Is giving getter smarter? How is a new generation of philanthropists engaging with the social causes of our times, and how would their giving change if charitable tax deductions are eliminated?