Here’s a good article (from the Republican American, of all places) on making sure your donation money makes it to Haiti. Good information; apparently people are getting scammed left and right on their donations.

If you plan to donate to relief organizations working to help the victims of last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, certified public accountants have some suggestions.

Susan Howe, a CPA and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant’s National Financial Literacy Commission, offers these tips to ensure your donation will actually be used toward helping victims:

Donate to established organizations: Reputable nonprofit organizations are providing relief in Haiti, such as the International Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, and The Salvation Army. All have experience in dealing with these types of disasters and are well-established, with a solid reputation of monetary and volunteer relief that will go directly to Haiti.

Research other organizations before you give: Many credible charities were operating in Haiti before the quake hit and are now in desperate need of financial aid. Check the Better Business Bureau Web site, at www.bbb.org/us/charity, for information about a charity’s mission, compensation, expenses, and rating. You also can check to see whether the charity is a 501(c)(3) organization by visiting this link: www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96136,00.html. The designation means the organization has been set up under federal tax rules for charitable purposes.

You also can visit Guidestar.org and type in the charity name, which will allow you to read about the charity and confirm your donation will go to the right place. It’s also a good idea to search the Internet for a charity’s name to see what news articles have been published and what the public is saying about them.

Be an educated donor: Do not give out personal or financial information freely. If you give a credit card number, address, or birth date, you can easily become a victim of identity theft. Do not respond to unsolicited e-mails, since they could be a scam or contain a virus. The safest way to give is to call an organization and ask for the best way to donate.

(Not sure I would trust the Red Cross or Salvation Army, though. Do some research, see “progressive links” provided above.)

(Republican American: Tips to make sure your donation actually helps victims in Haiti)