20 February 2025, reading time: 6 min.
Charitable action is a powerful lever for helping people in need and contributing to a fairer society. Whether it’s fighting poverty, supporting medical research, protecting the environment or improving animal welfare, charities play a key role.
But what does it mean to do charity effectively? How can we ensure that our donations, our time and our efforts have a real impact?
At Mieux Donner, we believe in philanthropy driven by effectiveness and transparency. Rather than giving to a charity without criteria, it is essential to rely on rigorous data to ensure that every euro donated has the greatest possible impact.
This article explores the different types ofnot-for-profit organisation, how tomake the most of your involvement, and the legal steps involved in setting up or supporting a humanitarian organisation.
Charitable action refers to any philanthropic initiative aimed at helping people in vulnerable situations or supporting a cause of general interest. In France, such initiatives are governed by the law of 1 July 1901 on the contract of association, which defines non-profit-making associations as entities that pool resources for a purpose other than profit-sharing.
A charity is an non-profit that meets a number of criteria:
Charitable organisations can take different forms:
Good to know: Not all charities meet the criteria for recognition as charitable organisations. Recognition can become official with an application for public utility recognition and a receipt for the association’s declaration.
Associations can receive donations, gifts and bequests, which enable them to finance their activities. Donations and legacies are often exempt from inheritance tax when theassociation is recognised as being in the public interest.
Volunteering is a way ofhelping an association without making a financial contribution. There are many different types of voluntary work, from caring for the elderly to international humanitarian missions.
Some associations are setting up awareness and advocacy campaigns to influence public policy and mobilise public opinion.
Many people want to set up a humanitarian association to meet a specific need. Here are the steps involved in setting up an association under the 1901 law:
1️⃣ Draw up the association’s articles of association, which define how it will operate.
2️⃣ File a notice of association creation with the prefecture.
3️⃣ Publish a notice of creation in the Journal Officiel des Associations.
4️⃣ Obtain recognition as a public utility (optional, but advantageous for funding purposes).
5️⃣ Open a bank account for the association to manage donations and grants.
Not all charities are created equal. Some can have an impact 100 times greater for the same amount invested. Here are a few steps to keep in mind to multiply your impact.
Some non-profit organisations are much more effective than others. For example, donating €100 to a local charity may have less impact than donating €10 to an organisation that saves a life by distributing impregnated mosquito nets.
For example:
Against Malaria Foundation: This association was set up to combat malaria. Each donation of €5 protects one or two people for 2-3 years.
Helen Keller International: This association offers life-saving vitamin A supplementation programmes.
New Incentives: This association works to increase child vaccination rates.
💡 Good to know: An association must account for its finances and publish its balance sheets. Check activity reports and independent evaluations.
By comparing these evaluations with each other, you can understand what impact an association is really having, what its difficulties are, and find out how the money is being used.
Counterfactual reasoning involves asking what would have happened if our donation had not been made. For example:
For example, of the 100 children vaccinated by the health centre in one village, it may be that 30 of them would have received a vaccine by other means, for example via the health centre in the neighbouring village – in which case the final impact is only 70 people vaccinated.
Financing an association is always a challenge. To achieve this, it is necessary to diversify sources through donations and legacies, grants and even partnerships with companies. Occasional fund-raising events can also help. However, the main sources of funding for a charity are often the large donations made at the end of the year.
Voluntary organisations are often short of volunteers. Sites such as jeveuxaider.org help to alleviate this problem on a one-off basis, but for the long term, it is important to have a plan for welcoming volunteers, finding them suitable tasks, rewarding their efforts and helping them to meet each other. A few meetings over a weekend can sometimes be enough to create a real team spirit.
Some associations may fail to publish their data. It is important to support associations that publish their data and are independently assessed. Even if the data is not conclusive, communicating on it allows us to learn and improve, and to establish a real bond of trust. For example, at Mieux Donner, we have an activity report.
Want to take action? Here are three practical ways:
Charitable action is essential, but it must be strategic and effective. By focusing on the most impactful not-for-profit organisations, we can save more lives, reduce more suffering and maximise our commitment to solidarity.
At Mieux Donner, we select the best charities to ensure a high impact. Join us to make the biggest possible difference!
To find out more, take a look at our selection of the most effective associations right now!
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