monkey.gives

A practical plan for personal giving

Charitable giving.
Make room for it.

Choose a giving budget you can maintain. Use MonkeyGives to compare monthly gifts with a yearly limit, then check the organization yourself before donating.

This page provides a free calculator and a research checklist. It does not collect donations, list verified charities, or measure the impact of a gift.

Plan your giving

Monthly giving planner

Enter your total budget for the period, your monthly gift, and the number of payments. Set aside a reserve for separate gifts. All amounts use US dollars. The example starts with a full year; change the payment count for a shorter plan.

Scheduled gifts—
Unallocated budget—
Maximum monthly gift after reserve—

Method: scheduled gifts = monthly gift × payment count. Unallocated budget = budget − reserve − scheduled gifts. The monthly maximum divides the budget after the reserve by the payment count, then rounds down to cents. Fees, tax deductions, and matching gifts are excluded. The calculator does not send or save your entries.

The FTC's Making a Budget (2024) converts annual amounts to monthly amounts by dividing by 12. The chart reverses that arithmetic. Its amounts are examples, not recommended gifts.

Illustrative monthly gifts over 12 payments: $10 gives $120 yearly, $25 gives $300, and $50 gives $600.
Monthly gifts across a full year: $10 × 12 = $120; $25 × 12 = $300; $50 × 12 = $600. Method: FTC, Making a Budget (2024), reviewed 2026. These totals describe giving amounts, not charity outcomes.

Build a plan you can maintain

Start with available money

Use money that remains after your essential bills and savings commitments. The FTC's Making a Budget (2024) recommends listing income and expenses, then subtracting expenses. Your giving limit is a personal choice. This calculator does not prescribe a percentage of income or decide whether a gift is affordable.

Keep a separate reserve

A reserve lets you plan for an occasional appeal without counting the same money twice. Enter planned birthday fundraisers, seasonal gifts, or a local collection here. The calculator treats the reserve as committed money, even before you choose a recipient. Set it to zero if you only want scheduled gifts.

Count actual payments

Use the number of monthly payments you intend to make, including the first payment. A shorter plan needs a smaller count than a full year. If the result shows a shortfall, reduce the monthly gift or reserve. Changing a number here does not change an existing donation agreement.

Check the recipient before sending money

Use this checklist for US charities. The Federal Trade Commission's Before Giving to a Charity guidance (reviewed 2026) recommends research before donating.

  1. Confirm the exact organization. Search its name with words such as “complaint” or “scam.” Read its own description of programs and spending. Similar names can mislead donors.
  2. Check official records. The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (reviewed 2026) provides eligibility information and filings. Use it to check eligibility to receive deductible contributions. This planner does not calculate a tax deduction.
  3. Ask what the gift supports. California's Attorney General, Donation Tips (reviewed 2026), recommends requesting written information about programs and finances. Its guidance explains that an online donation may support general programs unless you arrange a restriction.
  4. Check the payment terms. Read the amount and frequency before confirming. The FTC recommends checking statements for unexpected recurring charges and keeping donation records. A saved plan is not a payment receipt.

Registration alone is not an endorsement. California's Attorney General makes that distinction in Donation Tips (reviewed 2026). Treat a claim about meals, trees, or other results as a question to investigate. This page makes no promise about results per dollar.

Questions about the planner

Does a monthly gift create more impact?

This calculator cannot answer that question. It totals your planned gifts. The charity's work and evidence need a separate review.

Can I save or send this plan?

Copy your results into your own notes. The calculator has no account or payment function. Reloading the page restores its example values.

What does a negative balance mean?

Your monthly gifts and reserve exceed the budget you entered. The result shows the shortfall. The monthly maximum assumes you keep the reserve unchanged.

Sources: FTC, Making a Budget (2024); FTC, Before Giving to a Charity; IRS, Tax Exempt Organization Search; California Attorney General, Donation Tips. Guidance reviewed October 28, 2026. This page provides planning information, not tax advice.