Penn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy has launched a free, online toolkit called “High Impact Holiday Giving” to help donors who want their charitable contributions to make the biggest difference in the lives of others.

The “High Impact Holiday Giving” website features a roundup of national and global giving options that have been pre-vetted, and information about nonprofit organizations that make the most of donations. For the past six years, the Center has focused on ways philanthropy can make the largest social impact in the areas of global public health, international development, domestic education, and vulnerable populations within the United States.

“No matter if you have $10 or a million dollars to donate, this guide is designed to help donors get more bang for their charitable bucks by highlighting models that have proven to be highly successful at a reasonable cost,” says Katherina Rosqueta, executive director of the Center. “High-impact philanthropy is not about how much you give; it’s about how well you give to create positive change.”

Depending on a donor’s interests, and how he or she wishes to channel contributions, the Center’s toolkit offers the best options for effective charitable giving. For example, philanthropists interested in assisting victims of Hurricane Sandy can consult the Center’s blog, “Hurricane Sandy: How Can I Help?” where they will learn that it is better to give monetary donations than to give products because “cash allows first responder nonprofits to get what is needed faster and more cost-effectively and to respond flexibly as needs change.”

Other suggested charitable giving opportunities that can be found on the website include ways to give youngsters a stronger start in life, redesign schools for better learning, help new teachers succeed, support literacy, move people from poverty to self-sufficiency, support community–based primary healthcare systems, and prevent violence.

The “High-Impact Holiday Giving” toolkit also provides interviews with members of the Center’s staff, offering various ways to approach year-end giving.

For more information, visit the Center for High Impact Philanthropy website.