There is a lot of need in the world, but a lot gets in the way of filling it — even for those with the best intentions. The following 10 charities have found some enterprising ways to do good, without their efforts being devoured by operating costs, diluted by bureaucratic corruption or lost in the all the noise. You will also find links to the charitable organizations, should you wish to contribute to their efforts.

Charity’s version of Menudo, the Oaktree Foundation is an aid and development organization run exclusively by young people under the age of 26. Listed achievements from a website littered with bad spelling include a 2006 Make Poverty History Concert (with Eddie Vedder and, of course, Bono), an End Child Slavery campaign and Schools 4 Schools, an Australian school program raising awareness of global poverty. Oaktree also supports the Adidome Modular Training program in Ghana, which combats Trokosi religious practices of surrendering young girls to shrines as reparations for supposed ‘crimes’ committed by family members (many of these girls remain imprisoned for life). [Charity Website]

Community Voice Mail provides free voice messaging services for the poor or homeless throughout the United States. You and I may snicker at the dated mention of “voice mail”, but to “those whose street address is the license plate of their car, a simple voice mail number may be the life line to mere survival” (US veteran). CVM has found their service is particularly useful in helping the homeless find employment, as it avoids the stigma of an employer contacting an applicant at a homeless shelter. In 2009, CMV served 43,000 households and over 57,000 individuals with voice messaging support. [Charity Website]

Remember your first book? Mine was, honest to God, “Dick and Jane”. FIRST BOOK provides new books to children by mitigating the most important factor affecting literacy—access to books. The group has distributed more than 60 million free and low cost books in thousands of US and Canadian communities, using local volunteers and corporate donations. Key to their success is marketing their near-Draconian financial efficiency – non-programmatic costs total less than 3% of revenue, so 97% of revenue is devoted directly to programmatic costs. As a result, every $1 donation places $10 worth of new books directly into the hands of children in need. This achieves sky-high donor confidence, as evidenced in Random House’s 1.9 million book donation in 2005. [Charity Website]

This is the only charity that rejects you if you’re too poor. Why? Because Modest Needs’ unique aim is to stop poverty before it starts. Their grant programs are designed to assist people who generally pay their bills with no help from anyone, but can’t qualify for conventional assistance. Usually, these people are facing a single financial crisis or unexpected expense they just can’t afford on their own. Donors register with the Modest Needs website and review applicant cases, ‘voting’ for each with points purchased with credit. When a case receives enough points, the funds are released to the applicant. And when their crisis passes, many recipients later become donors themselves. [Charity Website]

Founded by Kenyan journalists to map post-election violence, Ushahidi is a free and open source web platform for data collection, visualization and interactive mapping of fast-moving crises or political events. And it’s been put to good use. To date, Ushahidi has used free “crowdsourced” data from mobile phones, email and the web to map and timeline Sudanese voting violence, earthquake response in Chile and Haiti, violent crime in Atlanta, uprisings in the Gaza strip and medical stockouts plaguing Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia. [Charity Website]

Public school teachers spend $40 a month on classroom materials, often using their own money. DonorsChoose (Bronx, NY) is changing that, with a website that allows donors to browse school projects and donate directly to classrooms in need, instead of to a general fund (which is often mismanaged). Every classroom project must be submitted by a teacher and vetted by DonorsChoose, who then ships the materials and alerts the Principal that the supplies are on their way. Kids proudly show donors where the money went via photos and thank-you notes, and a cost report shows how every dollar was spent. For their efforts, DonorsChoose recently won Amazon.com’s Non-Profit Innovation Award. [Charity Website]

Finally, a hookup site designed for good, not evil. KIVA is the world’s first online micro-lending program, specializing in loans and grants to the developing world. The World Bank now recognizes over 7,000 microfinance institutions, and potential donors are often intimidated by the sheer number of choices. KIVA simplifies the selection process by running their charitable web portal very much like an Internet dating site: just browse the entries to learn about applicants and their businesses— you can even see how close they are to being fully funded. If you want to make a loan, just click on the “Lend $25” button. KIVA will then distribute the funds to a reputable microfinance firm, which pools donations until the full loan amount is available for lending. Once fully funded, entries are marked inactive and removed from KIVA, which prevents abuse. [Charity Website]

Sam Kinison once said “I’ll never support wife-beating, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT!” Well, American telecom supergiant Verizon Wireless goes much further than that. Since 2001, Verizon has distributed 90,000+ wireless phones (with service) to battered women’s shelters. In 2009 alone, the Verizon “HopeLine” program supported 23,000 wireless phones using 69 million free minutes. The program is funded in part by collecting and refurbishing obsolete wireless phones for resale (condition and brand don’t matter). So think twice before trashing that NovAtel PTR-870 in your junk drawer, and dump it at any Verizon store. (And no, I’m on AT&T). [Charity Website]

Mary’s Meals runs school feeding projects, providing 390,000 of the world’s poorest children with a meal a day AT their place of education. This simple, ingenious act gives kids essential nutrition and a reason to go to school, thus providing the education that helps break the poverty cycle. The program operates in 15 countries, and began when founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow visited Malawi and met a young boy whose mother was dying from AIDS. Magnus asked the boy what he hoped for in life, and he replied: ‘… to have enough food to eat and to go to school one day’. The idea behind Mary’s Meals grew from that conversation. Mary’s Meals was nominated for Britain’s Most Admired Charity of 2010, but lost to those bastards at St. Giles Trust (who work with ex-offenders from Wandsworth Prison and provide health services to South London’s homeless). [Charity Website]

Due to its affiliation with ex-President Jimmy Carter (who is NOT the founder), Habitat for Humanity is probably the most famous community service project in America. Habitat builds affordable, simple housing for the needy using local volunteers as much as possible. Habitat’s innovation is that the houses aren’t free: yes, the recipients pay no interest on their mortgages, but they are required to work on the home for at least 500 hours before taking ownership (a process known as “sweat equity”). And to keep the new owners from selling the home at a quick profit, Habitat insists on ‘right of first refusal’, where they can buy back the house for whatever the recipient has paid on the mortgage. To date, Habitat has built over 300,000 homes for needy families. [Charity Website]

When making donations, it can be hard to find the right charity. You want a charity that supports a worthwhile cause, but you also want your money to have the most impact. To help you in your search, we have compiled a list of ten little charities making big impacts on the world. (Be prepared to have your heartstrings tugged.)

So, whether you are making a large donation or a small one, choosing a charity carefully can help your money reach a good cause and go a long way. This list is in no particular order; these are all worthwhile charities that will continue to benefit others. Let’s get into it!

10 Acadia Center

The first organization on our list is based in Maine but has offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island too. Named for the national park, the Acadia Center is focused on research, advocacy, and generally planning to find ways to mitigate changes to the earth’s climate.

According to its website, this organization “Forms strategic alliances and engages all stakeholders—legislators, business and community leaders, advocacy and environmental justice groups—to press for next-generation solutions and ensure long-term results.”

The Acadia Center’s targets include:

• Replacing gas cars with electric cars
• Advancing environmentalist policies
• Pushing for a transition to non-traditional energy sources

They also state a specific goal with a specific deadline. Acadia Center’s overall goal is for the Northeast United States to cut carbon dioxide creation by half or more by 2030.

9 Puppies Behind Bars

Who doesn’t love puppies? The Puppies Behind Bars charity helps in several ways, but its adorable name references the gist of its mission. Puppies Behind Bars trains inmates to raise dogs for the following services:

1. Service dog for wounded veterans and first responders
2. Law enforcement dog to detect explosives
3. Therapy dogs for police departments

Inmates are provided with a puppy to train; at just eight weeks old, the puppy is taught basic skills and commands. At 24 months old, the puppy is returned to Puppies Behind Bars for further assessment and training and eventually is placed with its full-time handler.

Inmates can learn valuable skills from caring for a Puppies Behind Bars puppy, such as providing love and care to someone else. They also learn to provide something positive to their community rather than negative. The final benefit of Puppies Behind Bars includes the services the dog provides to their full-time handlers.

If you love dogs and their services to others, Puppies Behind Bars is a great organization to support.

8 Charity: Water

This charity, as it sounds, is focused on providing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. Their founder, Scott Harrison, transitioned from a nightclub promoter to the founder of a non-profit after a life-changing experience near Liberia, where he saw the dangerous effects of dirty water.

Since Charity: Water was founded in 2006, they have funded over 90,000 projects, serving more than 14 million people across 29 countries. What we find refreshing is they are upfront about where their donations go and what they have achieved because of the donations.

7 To Write Love on Her Arms

The next charity on our list relates to something that affects almost every single one of us to some degree. Over the last decade or more, mental health has become a greater focus for our society. Many of the stigmas surrounding mental health have lessened or disappeared entirely. This organization, To Write Love on Her Arms, is a charity with mental health goals in mind.

Their website states that they aim to find help and present hope to people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. To Write Love on Her Arms was founded in 2007 by Jame Tworkowski and named for a story he wrote about his friend (who was struggling with mental illness) on the website MySpace. Since its small beginnings, To Write Love on Her Arms has donated over $2.5 million to treatment and recovery from mental illness, depression, addiction, and self-harm.

While the charity’s work is impressive, we know that they have more work to do. Mental health issues are something that many people struggle with daily, and this great organization aims to continue its work.

6 FSHD Society

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a rare genetic muscle disease that affects the muscles of your child’s face, shoulders, upper arms, and lower legs. These muscles weaken and shrink (atrophy).” Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition.

Fortunately, however, the FSHD Society is there for patients and families to turn to. Since being founded in 1991 by two FSHD patients, Steve Jacobsen and Daniel Perez, this charity has grown a lot, investing more than 10 million dollars into determining the causes of FDHD.

According to the FSHD website, they have four main goals:

1. To solve the biological disease process
2. Build infrastructure to accelerate research
3. Improve nationwide patient care
4. Expedite treatment development

FSHD has already accomplished a great deal since its founding in 1991. However, there is still no cure for this disease, and this organization can always benefit from additional support and more people learning about its efforts.

5 India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF)

The next charity on our list is based in North Bethesda, Maryland. Despite its location, the organization focuses on India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. India Development and Relief Fund emphasize national empowerment in these areas. In their words, “Our method puts power, not charity, in the hands of the poor.”

Charity efforts often make more difference when they are locally supported and run. IDRF subscribes to this idea. In the countries of Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, the IDRF is fighting several issues. They are fighting poverty, lack of westernized education, lack of infrastructure, and more. This fantastic organization has won its fair share of awards for transparency and accountability.

4 Pencils of Promise

Pencils of Promise is an impactful organization with a great origin story. Their founder Adam Braun asked a young boy in India what he wanted most in the world, and the boy told him he wanted a pencil. The boy’s desire for a pencil inspired Braun, and he made it his life’s mission to help provide education and educational supplies for those in need.

Since then, Pencils of Promise has supported teachers, training more than 3,000 around the globe. Furthermore, they have helped to build or improve schools in poor areas. Having a clean workplace is vital for students to do their best.

Across Laos, Ghana, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, over 100,000 students are currently enrolled in their programs. From a simple pencil to providing many teachers and students with support! Despite being a little charity, Pencils of Promise has made a very big impact.

3 Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW)

Due to the huge wealth involved, many environmentalist charities exist these days, but the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide is unique. ELAW is focused on law. Boasting members across 80 countries, this organization truly is globalist.

ELAW was founded in 1989, making it one of the longest-running organizations on our list. They concentrate on their goals through the use of advocates, such as scientists and environmental lawyers. ELAW has over 300 advocates involved, including 13 who have won the prestigious Goldman Prize for grassroots environmentalists, dating back to 1990.

2 Oxfam International

Another international organization, Oxfam International, includes 17 organizations. These 17 organizations collaborate with local communities in more than 90 countries worldwide. Oxfam has shown a commitment to grassroots organizations that work to fight poverty.

Oxfam helps raise awareness, provides support, and responds to crises. Along with poverty, Oxfam International aims to take on all the latest things. With such a broad umbrella, it is no wonder that Oxfam International has been helping people since World War II. As they put it on their website, “We believe in equality. That’s it. Plain and simple.” I think that is a message that we can all get behind.

1 National Pediatric Cancer Foundation

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation was founded in 1991 by two mothers, Melissa Helms and Risa Tramel. The two met in Florida under sad circumstances. At the time, both of their daughters were infants and undergoing treatment for cancer. Fortunately, their daughters both recovered, but the story does not end there. Because of this shared experience, Helms and Tramel recognized the need to fight pediatric cancer. So they formed the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

Years later, in 2005, they formed Project Sunshine, a program designed to identify top doctors and researchers and expedite a potential cure for pediatric cancer. Since Project Sunshine began in 2005, they have dedicated more than 30 million dollars to research for pediatric cancer and have funded four clinical trials. This is quite an impact for a charity that just started with two mothers in a crisis.