People typically support causes that are closest to their heart. For example, people who are passionate about animal welfare donate to non-profits like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Fine-arts aficionados may donate to their local theater company. Supporting any nonprofit that plays a positive role in the world is laudable.
But ask an animal welfare or fine-arts supporter if they care about the environment, health-related issues, childhood poverty and other blights. They’ll most likely answer “Yes.”
Therefore, if you want to make the world a better place, shouldn’t you support non-profits that positively impact as many causes as possible?
Your first thought is probably, “I don’t have enough money to donate to multiple non-profits. So, I focus on one issue that’s important to me.”
I would like to ask you to reconsider that. I want you to donate to multiple causes that in the aggregate have a truly global impact.
You can do this by giving smaller donations to multiple non-profits that focus on different causes instead of focusing on a single cause. Not only does this extend the reach of your philanthropy, it can also make you happier and healthier.
If this sounds like something you’d like to try, here’s a list of nine important topics that cover the gamut of humanity’s greatest challenges.
If you want to make the world a better place, shouldn’t you support non-profits that positively impact as many causes as possible? Click To Tweet1. Environment / Conservation
According to the vast majority of environmental scientists, climate change is real and it’s happening right before our eyes. According to NASA, some of the effects of climate change will exacerbate other natural catastrophes. For example, there will be stronger hurricanes and more droughts (and more droughts means more famines). Deforestation also has a negative impact on the environment. The more rainforest we lose means more animals will go extinct. Deforestation also drives climate change.
2. Refugees / Displaced Persons
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the world is “witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record.” About 65.6 million people around the world have been driven from their homes because of wars. Nearly 22.5 million of them are refugees. Refugees and displaced persons are usually in dire need of food, medical assistance, education, shelter and more.
3. Famine
A deadly mix of drought and severe political instability (read: war) is what usually causes famines. Food and humanitarian supplies are obviously the solution, but getting it to the people who need it is the difficult part. For example, it requires diplomacy to get warring sides to agree to a ceasefire; a very difficult endeavor. If that’s not possible, the only way to save lives is for battle-ready security forces to deliver food and humanitarian supplies. Or, if that’s not possible, supplies can be delivered by parachute. Either way, this costs a lot of money.
4. Education
Lack of education, both here and abroad, is not only a problem for those who don’t receive adequate—or any—education, but also for society at large. Education is a vital component of overall human development, as well as for the economic growth of a nation.
5. Animal and pet welfare
The wellbeing of animals—be they wild, domesticated or pets—is important to many people. But it’s most important to the animals that are mistreated. In addition to being a moral issue, it’s also an economic issue. Mistreated livestock produce less product and have shorter lives. This is especially important for farmers in developing countries. Furthermore, most people want to live in a caring and compassionate society. A society that turns its eyes from the suffering of animals is neither caring nor compassionate.
About 65.6 million people around the world have been driven from their homes because of wars. Nearly 22.5 million of them are refugees. Refugees and displaced persons are usually in dire need of food, medical assistance, education, shelter and more.
6. Endangered species
Extinction is a natural process. The problem is that species are going extinct much faster than they used to. A 2015 study found that the extinction rate has increased a hundredfold over the last century—and it appears we’re to blame.
But some would say, “Who cares if a little box tortoise went extinct, or some obscure species of fish? Nobody will notice their disappearance, and it costs billions of dollars to protect endangered species. We should spend that money on people instead.”
The problem with this line of thinking—notwithstanding its moral callousness for animals—is that protecting endangered species is actually a good investment. According to a July 2015 BBC.com story, “the biosphere provides services worth around $33 trillion a year.” Furthermore, the article continues, “unchecked species loss would wipe 18% off global economic output by 2050.”
When we think about endangered species, we often think of majestic mega fauna such as elephants, giraffes, rhinos, gorillas and more. But the loss of certain insects could have deadly ramifications for humanity. Take for example, bees. Bees alone pollinate about 400 different types of agricultural plants. Altogether, pollinators such as bats, moths, butterflies, ants and beetles pollinate about $19 billion worth of crops in the U.S. alone, which is estimated to be one-third of everything we eat.
This is merely a snapshot of why saving endangered species is so important.
7. Health
The importance of supporting health-related non-profits is self-evident, both at home and in developing countries; the latter which have little or no healthcare infrastructure.
A New York Times article reported that nearly 20 million Americans have gained health insurance since 2010 thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, when the Republican 2018 budget is signed by President Donald Trump, Medicaid will be cut by $800 billion and a total repeal of the ACA would mean about 32 million Americans will lose health coverage by 2026. The result is that millions of Americans will have to rely on charities to meet their healthcare needs.
Non-profits that raise money for research to cure diseases also require donations to continue their important work.
8. Arts & Culture
A sign of a healthy community is its ability to preserve and invent art, as well as to fund cultural institutions like zoos, museums and aquariums. Arts and culture educate and entertain, and also add vitality to a city.
9. Poverty
The harmful effects of poverty in a society are obvious:
- Educational standards drop, which arrests children’s development.
- Many children born into poverty have lower birth rates and are more likely to have health problems.
- Poverty often breeds crime.
- Poor people often eat unhealthy diets that result in health problems because healthier foods tend to be more expensive.
- Homelessness.
- These effects are amplified in most developing countries.
Give a little to a lot
If you want to help make the world a better place—the entire world—one of the best things you can do is support multiple non-profits. Every dollar helps.