For many years, we've been giving 10% of our income to charity every year. Some years, this hasn't been much, and other years, we've had a hard time figuring out where to give it all. One thing remains constant, though: the Beg Letter.

Every time we get a Beg Letter, we put it into a big box. When people come to our door, we ask them for some literature, and that goes into the box, too. Then, once a year, we go through the entire box, and decide how much to give to whom. Each year's contributions go onto an Excel spreadsheet, so we can keep track of where our giving went.

Three years ago, we noticed that a handful of organizations were sending us an ungodly amount of junk mail. We had over 20 beg letters (almost two a month) from one well-known national organization (most marked "URGENT!"). Not only was this annoying, but it was also a waste of money: the same money we had been donating to these profligate junk-mailers.

Being in a generous mood, we figured that one beg letter a month was the most any reasonable organization should send us. For the three organizations which exceeded this threshold, we included a letter with our check:

Dear XXXX:

Enclosed please find our annual contribution for this year of $XXX. Originally, we had planned to give $XXX, but when we counted the number of solicitations we received from you this year, we found that you sent us 21 solicitations in the past year. We are disappointed with the amount of our contribution which has been spent on nothing more than soliciting us for more money. Consequently, we are reducing our contribution for $5 for every solicitation beyond the first 12, or $45. We hope this will encourage you to focus more of your energy on the programs we are giving to support, rather than fundraising.

Here's the number of solicitations we received this year. Keep in mind that we have given to some of these, but the vast majority of these organizations we have never given to, will never give to, and have no intention of ever giving anything to.

National Megacharities
Nature Conservancy: 14
Planned Parenthood: 6
Smithsonian: 4
Habitat for Humanity: 3
MS Society: 2
Heart Association: 2
Doctors Without Borders: 2
Salvation Army: 1
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: 1
U.N. Population Fund: 1
Cancer Society: 1
Care: 1
Ninety-Nine's: 1
National Wildlife Fund: 1
AIMR Research Foundation: 1

Local Charities
Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery: 9
The Blake School: 8 (my high school)
St. Olaf: 7 (She Who Puts Up With Me's college)
Twin Cities Public Television: 7
St. David's Child Development Center: 5 (the preschool for the kids)
Courage Center: 5
WCAL Public Radio: 4
Emergency Foodshelf Network: 3
Family & Children's Services: 2
Minnesota Public Radio: 2
University of Minnesota: 2 (my undergraduate university)
Science Museum of MN: 2
MN Historical Society: 2
Hopkins Education Foundation: 1 (local pubic school)
Grand Marais (MN) Harbor Project: 1
MN Children's Museum: 1
Minnetonka ECFE: 1 (local early childhood education)
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra: 1
North Shore Healthcare Foundation: 1
St. Joseph's Home for Children: 1
Intercongregational Community Association: 1
Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library: 1

Charities I Know Nothing About (and therefore can't categorize)
PATH: 4
Union Gospel Mission: 3
SightFlight: 2
Clean Water Action: 1
MN Women's Campaign Fund: 1
Bridge for Runaway Youth: 1