Welcome to the Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc. (CCSNYS) donor education and information site, ChooseYourCharity.com.

Here you can search for and find over 830 CCSNYS charitable nonprofit members; you can learn about their mission, programs, accomplishments and goals. You may view links to their IRS financial information data and choose from several donating options, including secure online donations through NetworkforGood.org, an at-cost internet service. You will also find information on how to contribute to your favorite charity through federated programs.

Who is listed in ChooseYourCharity.com?

Participants are charitable nonprofits who have passed the membership requirements of the Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc., an association of nonprofits dedicated to ethical and sound management of charitable nonprofits. Members are required to provide evidence of their nonprofit incorporation, their governance by a board of directors and their support of a common mission with CCSNYS. The Council is committed to pursuing excellence in operations, governance and management by improving all areas of their organization through participation in technical assistance, training and group purchasing partnerships.

       Donor Guide
The ChooseYourCharity.com website also features a "how-to" guide for donors, including descriptions for the best options in charitable giving, updates on tax laws, planned giving, car donations and links to other important informational sites. ChooseYourCharity.com also contains a very thorough compilation of philanthropic terminology and acronyms, the donor bill of rights and instructions on how to determine whether or not your employer will match your donating dollars.

The primary focus of ChooseYourCharity.com is to promote ethical standards in fundraising in New York State. CCSNYS, under the Donor Choice and Accountability Project (DCAP), Nonprofits which have pledged to strive toward the highest ethical standards in charitable fundraising and provide the utmost respect for donor interest and privacy. This pledge, the "Pledge for Excellence in Ethical Fundraising for New York State Charitable Nonprofits," was developed under CCSNYS's Donor Choice and Accountability Project (DCAP), and is the first of several nonprofit accountability standards for nonprofits striving for excellence in charitable fund raising, governance and management.