Remember the business adage “you have to spend money to make money?”  Well, that’s just as true in the nonprofit world, even for donations. There’s no such thing as free money, and every dollar raised by a nonprofit comes with a price tag.

With this in mind, consider not just how much to give, but also how to minimize the nonprofit’s cost of receiving your gift. Combining the two approaches is a sure way to supercharge your donations!

There are several tools for boosting your charitable gifts. I’m not suggesting you use all of these strategies all the time, but consider what’s practical and appropriate for every gift you make:

Show them the money: Stuff is nice - by all means, participate in food drives and similar efforts. However, when given a choice between donating stuff or cash, choose cash. Remember that a $5 bill is worth more than a $5 can of soup, since that soup costs a lot more to move, sort, store, and handle.

Untie the strings: The most valuable donation is one without strings. This kind of gift allows a nonprofit to allocate your support in the best way it sees fit. Avoid designating your donation to specific programs or initiatives. Think of it as investing  in an institution, rather buying specific services.

Avoid the credit crunch: The convenience of credit card donations is sometimes outweighed by the bevy of processing fees paid by the nonprofit, which add up to several percent of the total transaction. If it’s convenient, give cash or a check instead.

Decline party favors: Charities sometime provide tokens of appreciation in exchange for your donation (for example, a goody bag at a charity ball). If this token is truly minor, then declining it is more trouble than it’s worth. However, if you feel that the token has real value, take a pass so that the nonprofit can use it for someone else. In fact, this might enhance the deductibility of your donation in cases where a nonprofit is required to disclose the value of their “quid pro quo” benefit.

Play the match: When a charity announces that your donation will be matched by another donor, go for it, even if it means giving earlier in the year than usual. It’s an instant, significant boost to each dollar that you give.

Show off: If your friends and family know your charitable choices, they might also give to the same nonprofits. So brag a little - you might end up multiplying your donation.

Be boring and predictable:  The most coveted donor is a consistent one. Get into the habit of giving regularly to your favorite causes, or better yet, make a written multi-year commitment. The more predictable you are, the fewer resources a nonprofit needs to devote to securing your next donation.

Neel Hajra is the president and CEO of Ann Arbor-based Nonprofit Enterprise at Work.