A List of 10 Top Charities

Ready to donate? Consider sending a gift to one (or more) of these outstanding nonprofits—each of which combines Scrooge’s fiscal discipline with Saint Nick’s generosity.

Education

Scholarship America

The mission: To provide college scholarships and financial aid to U.S. students and help grassroots groups set up their own tuition-assistance programs. “With student debt at an all-time high and university dropouts on the rise, this support is more crucial now than ever,” says president and chief executive officer Lauren Segal.

Why it stands out: It is the country’s largest provider of private scholarships, awarding more than $2.9 billion to 1.9 million students and spending an extraordinary 97 percent of its total budget on programs. The 54-year-old organization’s Dollars for Scholars program, for example, boasts nearly 1,100 volunteer-run chapters, which aid local college-bound students. (To find a chapter near you, go to the website, click on “Programs & Initiatives,” then “Dollars for Scholars,” and search by ZIP code.)

Your money at work: A $50 donation buys an annual bus pass so that a community-college student can commute to campus.