A good deed is a good deed. But when it comes to making an impact in your community, sometimes it’s best to think local, especially when it comes to supporting non-profits.

1) You can see your donation at work: Giving back has its own rewards, but if there’s one downside of making a monetary gift to a large, multi-faceted philanthropy, it’s that you can’t always see the ways in which your gift is benefiting others. Supporting local non-profits

is one way you can see your donations at work. By giving to the local food bank, you feed the homeless in your area. By raising funds for your local WCA, you’re assisting the children your kids go to school with and their mothers. By investing in your own community’s welfare and happiness, you’re bringing benefits to your neighbors, and that means a whole lot of good going right where it’s supposed to go.

2) You won’t be overwhelmed: With so many groups, people, places, and causes in need, sometimes the task of deciding where your donation should go can be a little overwhelming. Narrowing your search to non-profits in your area can help make that decision a little easier.

3) You’ll educate the next generation: Showing your children or grandchildren the fulfillment of writing a check to Christian Children’s Fund is nice, but getting them into the local soup kitchen will teach them a whole new sense of what it means to give back. Additionally, sending money to the NRDC is great, but working with your little ones to plant a tree will make a better memory with a greater impact. Diving into a local cause is the best way to show your kids how rewarding, fun, and important it is to help others.

4) Everyone wins: When you donate locally, everyone wins. You get the satisfaction of knowing you’ve positively impacted the lives around you, your local non-profit gets the support it needs to maintain momentum, and the needy in your area get the help they need.

For more business tips like these, subscribe to my tax academy blog.