Oh, indeed, I'm well aware that there are for-profit philanthrophic ventures and questionably profitable non-profit groups. I don't mean to suggest that it is

Oh, indeed, I'm well aware that there are for-profit philanthrophic ventures and questionably profitable non-profit groups. I don't mean to suggest that it is simple. Indeed, groups that adopt a hybrid, hard-to-classify approach often strike me as the healthiest. I am very fond of certain microloan groups or folks like TechnoServe. But I do advocate approaching philanthropy as a consumer, however the group you're working with is legally classified. Be honest with yourself about what you're buying -- even if what you're buying is a warm fuzzy feeling. Perhaps especially in that case.