How carefully do you shop when deciding where to spend your contribution dollars?

Professor Tyler Cowen, an Economist at George Mason University, says that most donors do not seem to care much about the results of their giving which is in stark contrast with the way people act when they invest in the stock market.

By contrast, the smartest philanthropists operate with an investment mindset. They ask, "What kind of a return will this investment yield?" They do not mean personal profit. Returns from philanthropic investments are measured as positive changes in the lives of hurting people and their communities..