If it feels like you’re being inundated with requests for charitable donations, it’s not your imagination. Suddenly we’re not just being asked to give through direct mail and phone solicitations; our friends and colleagues are making direct appeals for donations on social media, too.

There used to be a maximum of 2 million nonprofits that were asking for donations, says Larry Lieberman, chief operating officer for Charity Navigator, a nonprofit that evaluates the performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of charitable organizations. Today, anyone who uses social media can also ask for money on behalf these organizations—and many people do, he says.

Add to that a heightened sense of activism, with many Americans giving to organizations that are threatened by policies being proposed or enacted by President Donald Trump, and suddenly we’re facing more requests for giving, more often and on new platforms, Lieberman says. “Organizations called out by the president received the big increases in donations in the first 90 days after Trump’s inauguration,” he says.

That giving hasn’t slowed down. Individuals gave U.S. charities an estimated $286.65 billion in 2017, an increase of 5.2%, according to Giving USA.

At a time when every cause seems like a worthy cause, it’s essential to have strategy for giving that is proactive rather than reactive. Here are six ways to ensure your charitable giving has the most impact.

  1. Treat philanthropy like an investment
  2. Don't feel obligated
  3. Understand what your donation achieves, not what it buys
  4. Consider giving to underfunded organizations
  5. Evaluate your giving
  6. Develop your own mission statement

Read the full article about charitable giving by Lisa Rabasca Roepe at Fast Company.