With Thanksgiving weekend coming to a close and Christmas just around the corner, its time to put aside some extra money to donate to worthy charities. During winter, we see more opportunities to donate to organizations that give toys to children whose parents can’t afford them, food to families in need, care to those with mental and physical illnesses, small gifts and notes of gratitude to soldiers overseas, and so on. But always be certain of where exactly those donations are going, especially when trying to shove it into the narrow slot of a plastic box.

There are so many different organizations putting money toward similar causes, so you need to know which one is worth supporting. For example, Charity A might have more advertising and a popular reputation, but it only gives 50% of its donations; Charity B is less known, but has dedicated supporters because it gives 100% of its donations. It’s obvious that one would want to put more money into Charity B because that money is guaranteed to go directly to its cause, but research is necessary.

According to Forbes, "charitable commitment" is the amount of money spent to help a charity’s cause; "fundraising efficiency" is the amount raised after fundraising costs are subtracted; both are measured by percentage. This Consumer Reports article explains what and where you should be looking when determining the credibility of a charity. These 23 charities ranked highest in both charitable commitment and fundraising efficiency on Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and BBB Wise Giving Alliance (in alphabetical order):

1. Action Against Hunger USA

2. Against Malaria Foundation

3. American Red Cross

4. Army Emergency Relief

5. Air Force Aid Society

6. Brother’s Brother Foundation

7. Catholic Relief Services

8. Christian Blind Mission International

9. Cure Alzheimer's Fund

10. Development Media International

11. Direct Relief

12. Give Kids the World Village

13. International Rescue Committee

14. Kids Alive International

15. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

16. Matthew 25: Ministries

17. Meds & Food for Kids

18. National Pediatric Cancer Foundation

19. Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

20. Ronald McDonald House Charities

21. Save the Children

22. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

23. UNICEF

The majority of the organizations listed here are national and international charities, but there are plenty of local charities that also meet the requirements I used to research these organizations. Make sure to do proper research before deciding on which charity best supports the cause you want to support!