It’s a great feeling, giving to others. And an even greater feeling when you’re confident in the organization you’ve chosen to handle your donation. Below are some sites that will help you evaluate the effectiveness of various charitable organizations so that your gifts will have the greatest reach.

Charity Navigator: This site evaluates over 5500 organizations in the U.S. Ratings are largely based on financial information to determine efficiency and responsiveness.

GiveWell: Of the almost 400 charities reviewed, only 9 pass the stringent requirements to receive their recommendation.  They focus not only on financial information but also on effectiveness.

GreatNonprofits: The unique spin on this site is that it allows volunteers, recipients and donors to post reviews based on their own experiences.

GuideStar: Ratings are based on tax forms and reviews of GreatNonprofits (see above).