Best Charities to Donate to: Finding Charities and Non-Profit Groups in the Twin Cities

When you want to have a positive impact on your community through charitable giving on Give to the Max Day, Giving Tuesday, or just to maximize your tax benefits, it’s important to find the best charities to support. Here at The Lift Garage, we’re a bit biased—towards The Lift, of course! —but we believe it’s important to feel good about your charitable giving to Minnesota nonprofits! 

The first step to choosing a charity to donate to is to think about the causes that matter to you most.

The Lift Garage is a nonprofit auto shop, and we provide low-cost car repair to our neighbors in Minnesota. We believe that safe cars help to create secure lives for our customers, and the foundation of our work is free and honest advice. Our customers receive a free inspection of their vehicles, where we identify safety and drivability repairs that are needed. After the inspection, repairs on the vehicles are completed at a rate of $25 an hour with a 7.5% markup on parts.

By providing low-cost car repair, The Lift Garage is able to support many different areas of our customers’ lives and help create a stronger community! Low-cost car repair supports children and families by helping parents  transport kids to school and activities. Our customers often need their vehicles to get to work, which supports financial stability and housing and food security. We even support the environment through a partnership to provide free environmental repairs.

It can be hard to know what makes a charity or nonprofit effective, and Minnesota has thousands of nonprofits to choose from to support. These are some of the things that you can look for when choosing a nonprofit to make a donation to, as well as how The Lift Garage displays these qualities!

A clear mission, vision, and values are the foundation of any effective nonprofit organization. All 501(c)(3) organizations are required to have a mission that serves the public interest, and this should be clearly laid out in a mission statement that is usually listed on the organization’s website. 

At The Lift Garage, our mission statement is to offer people a vehicle out of poverty by:  

• Providing low-cost quality car repair,
• Connecting with community partners to strengthen the support network; and
• Linking customers with needed resources.

We believe that safe cars create secure lives, and we enact our mission through our Lake Street shop, where we repair cars for $25 an hour and a 7.5% markup on parts. This amounts to about 1/3 of the market rate for car repairs!  To put it in perspective, The Lift Garage customers pay on average $375 for car repairs, compared to a $1,250 bill at a shop down the street. These affordable car repairs at The Lift Garage are made possible by our donors’ generous giving. 

Successful nonprofits will also have a clear vision for the future, that guides their decision making and the future of their work. At The Lift Garage, our vision is: 

As a thriving not-for-profit business, The Lift Garage offers quality, affordable auto repair for people who are on a path to a better future.

Most nonprofits also have a clearly defined set of values that they keep in mind while working towards their charitable mission. A nonprofit’s values should shape their behavior and decision making and be at the foundation of their work. 

The Lift Garage’s values are: 

Excellence: In all we do, we hold ourselves to the highest standards. We are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Opportunity: We support each other – our customers and their families, our colleagues, the community, the environment, and ourselves in building a better life.

Respect: We recognize the dignity of all people. We offer others—and ourselves—patience, kindness, openness, and forgiveness. We take responsibility for our actions.

Justice: We build and maintain equity through our work and our relationships with customers, employees, the environment, and the community.

At The Lift Garage, our values drive our every decision and ground our work. From working with our customers, to repairing cars, to how our staff works with each other, our values are at the heart of everything we do. For example: 

• We enact our value of excellence through providing our customers with high-quality repairs, exceptional customer service, and always putting our best effort into our work. 
• We embody opportunity by supporting our customers with not just car repair, but also with wrap-around programs like one-way Uber rides from our shop, Express Services, and even providing a safe place to stay for the night while we repair their vehicles. 
• We honor our value of respect by not just treating our customers and each other with respect, but also providing hospitality items in our lobby for our customers and community members to take what they can use.
• We embody justice in our work by treating our customers with respect and dignity and allowing them autonomy to make the choices that are best for them. 

If a nonprofit does not have a strong mission, vision, and values, it can be a sign that the charity lacks direction and the clarity to be effective in creating change. Most nonprofits have their mission, vision, and values listed on their website, but if they do not, it is best to reach out to them to learn more before donating.

A high-quality nonprofit will enact clear programs that moves their charitable mission forward. These programs can take many forms, but each should be directly connected to the charity’s mission, vision, and values. 

At The Lift Garage, we offer different services to our customers to fulfill our mission, including our free inspections and repairs, pre-purchase inspections, express services, and mobile van inspections! All of these programs serve our customers and our goal of Safe Cars, Secure Lives. 

Our four keystone programs are: 

Inspections and Repairs: Our customers receive a full inspection of their vehicle, where we identify safety and drivability repairs. We then provide our customers with that information and create an estimate for the cost of repairs in our shop. We charge just $25 an hour for labor and a 7.5% markup on parts.

Pre Purchase Inspections: We know that buying a new used car can be tricky and stressful. We offer our customers free pre-purchase inspections where we inspect a potential vehicle purchase and inform the customer about any needed repairs. They can then use this information to make the best decision with their resources!

Express Services: Our Express Services offer our customers the opportunity to have minor maintenance completed at an affordable rate. We offer these services every Friday, and we can check and top off fluids, check and replace bulbs/headlights, check and replace wiper blades, and even test and replace batteries.

Mobile Van Inspections: Our mobile van heads out to our customers to provide free pre-inspections to customers who would otherwise have to get their car towed into our shop. Our experienced technician will assess if the vehicle can be repaired at our shop. If we cannot repair it, we do not want our customers to pay to have it towed to us. The technician offers free and honest advice to help the customer make the best choice for them. 

We also offer several wrap-around programs to further support our customers, including: 

Transportation Support: Our customers can receive a free one-way Uber ride from our shop to their next destination! We also provide bus tokens to help our customers get where they need to go.

Lodging Support: When our customers are using their vehicle as shelter, The Lift Garage will provide them with a hotel room for the night while we work on their vehicle, ensuring that they have a safe place to stay. 

Car Care Kits: With the support of our partners, we provide our customers with free car care kits, to ensure they are better prepared, should an emergency arise on the road.

Project CAR: In partnership with Environmental Initiative, we make repairs to reduce emissions from older cars for free for our customers. This can include catalytic converters and exhaust equipment.

Car Care Class: We offer free car care classes to our community, to teach folks how to best care for their car and avoid preventable issues. We also cover how to best work with auto shops to ensure you get the best service and some tips and tricks for buying a used car!

As the only nonprofit auto shop in Minnesota, we know that cars are a key part of our customers’ lives, and we have created all our programs with that in mind. We strive to support our customers through many avenues; to help ensure they can keep their focus on their goals and dreams, rather than stressing about how to best use their limited funds. 

Strong nonprofits are made up of incredible people! A great mission attracts great people and inspires them to join in the work. 

For a nonprofit to be strong and effective, they should be made up of talented, skilled, responsible, and diverse staff. They should also have an appropriate number of staff, ensuring that they can perform all the functions of their organization, while making the best use of their resources. 

Volunteers are also a sign of a thriving nonprofit. A strong volunteer program is an indication that the charity is invested in inspiring and engaging others in their mission, vision, and values. Volunteers do not often stick around an organization that does not appreciate, inspire, and support them, so a thriving volunteer program can be a key indicator of a great nonprofit. 

At The Lift Garage, we have deep roots in volunteerism. When we first opened our doors to the public, we were completely volunteer run. We foster an engaged volunteer community, and we know that giving the gift of time and talent is an incredible way to contribute to nonprofit organizations like ours. 

The financial well-being of an organization is one of the most basic measures of the charity’s stability and success. A lot of this financial information must be available publicly—it is not just best practice; it is the law! 

Many nonprofits also conduct independent financial audits each year. In Minnesota, all nonprofits with annual revenue of $750,000 and above are required to have their financial statements audited and submitted to the Attorney General’s office. This audit is a thorough review of the charity’s records, reports, transactions, policies, and procedures. It helps assess the nonprofit’s financial health and ensures compliance with all federal and state regulations. 

You will often find financial information on the organization’s website or in databases that collect and review nonprofit data. The Lift Garage shares the following financial information on our website for review: 

• 990 Form
• Balance Sheet
• Statement of Activity 
• Total Cost of Program
• Functional Expenses

Leadership plays a key role in any organization, and nonprofits are no different. 

Nonprofits are governed by a Board of Directors, who oversees the organization’s operations, sets the organization’s strategy, and provides financial oversight to the organization. They also help ensure that the organization is abiding by best practices, has strong policies in place, and is fulfilling its mission. 

The Lift’s Board of Directors is made up of 14 amazing volunteers. Their support of our work and strategic thinking has helped The Lift Garage make an amazing amount of growth since our founding in 2013. We also have several volunteer committees, made up of members of the Board of Directors and other volunteers, who help support our work. These committees are a wonderful way to get more involved at The Lift Garage, and we encourage you to consider joining one! 

In addition to a Board of Directors, nonprofits are usually led by Executive Directors, sometimes also called a President, Managing Director, or Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This director leads the organization and oversees all its activities. Most nonprofits also have additional directors to manage activities like programs, fundraising, and financial activities. 

At The Lift, our Executive Director is Cathy Heying, who also founded The Lift! She is a hands-on member of our team and leads with compassion, integrity, and determination to get the job done. She oversees our director team:

• Becky, Director of Finance and Administration: Becky manages The Lift’s finances and budget, ensuring that we are making sound financial decisions and that our budget is strong. She also handles workplace administrative issues around the shop.
• Jesi, Director of Development and Communications: Jesi leads our fundraising and communications team to raise funds to support our work. She ensures that we are on-track to successfully cover the cost of our programs with our contributed revenue through many different tactics. She also ensures that our communications are clear, informative, and in line with our branding.
• Yohanis, Director of Operations and Programs: Yohanis oversees our shop operations, including the service writers and technicians. He ensures that our programs are running efficiently and effectively, serving our community well. 

Becky, Jesi, and Yohanis bring many years of experience to their positions and work tirelessly to support our mission and our vision of Safe Cars, Secure Lives. 

If a nonprofit is doing good work, they should be able to show you how! Nonprofits can measure the impact of their work in both qualitative and quantitative ways, depending on their work. This can include statistics about their programs or those they serve, or stories of the impact that their work has on others. 

Taking the time to evaluate and explore the impact that the nonprofit has is a sign that the organization is committed to continual improvement, an environment of learning and growth, and a deep desire to serve their mission.

At The Lift Garage, we believe that anything worth doing is worth evaluating! We regularly gather qualitative and quantitative data to ensure we have a meaningful impact on our customers’ lives. 

Some of the data points we’ve gather in our quantitative data include: 

• 96% of The Lift’s customer reported experiencing a positive change in their life because of the help they received 
• 92% of our customers reported a temporary stress relief due to the service they received

We regularly conduct interviews with our customers to hear about the impact that The Lift has had on their lives. These stories are possible because of the generous donations of our supporters. Here are some of their stories: 

Angela is a mother and grandmother who needs her car to care for her family and herself. She often has as many as four doctor appointments per week to manage her chronic illness, and her vehicle is absolutely vital to ensuring that she stays healthy and can continue to support her family. She told us: “I am the person that people rely on. So not only taking care of myself—I’m a caregiver.” The Lift Garage supports her by ensuring that she doesn’t have to worry about her vehicle getting her where she needs to go. 

Mike’s vehicle allows him to finish his college education! He decided to go back to school for a degree to get a better job and be able to enjoy time with his son as he grows. The Lift Garage ensured that he could stay in school by providing affordable car repairs for his family.

Ivory told us “The value of a car is different—it’s also what you can do with that car.” Her car allows her and her son to work and support their family. Ivory was proud to share that thanks to her vehicle, her son received perfect attendance in his recently completed vocational program. Having affordable car repair made a huge difference in her life. “It’s put a new spark in me, pun intended,” she joked with our staff. “It really did. I can do this. I can move and keep going and get that work and be a role model for my son. To sum it up it’s just life changing.” ⁠

You can find more of these stories on our Facebook and Instagram pages! 

The more you know about charities and nonprofits, the better you can decide who the best organizations are! There are thousands of charities in Minnesota, and by doing your research, you can ensure that your gift makes a difference. At The Lift Garage, we value the respect and trust of our supporters, so we do everything possible to serve our mission, act with integrity, and be transparent in our operations. 

When you’re looking into a nonprofit that you’re interested in supporting, here are a few resources that can help you learn more.

Many nonprofits produce annual reports to summarize their activities from the previous year, and these often include a lot of helpful data about the organization’s finances, programs, and how they serve their mission. 

The Lift Garage produces our annual report in February each year to report on our appointments, transportation services, customer demographics, and a financial overview of both our expenses and our revenue. You can see all our annual reports dating back to 2015 on our website. 

Nonprofits are required to provide financial information to the IRS in order to stay in good standing. The IRS has a publicly available search tool that allows you to see the 501(c)(3) determination letter, as well as the tax forms submitted to the IRS. 

The tax form that nonprofits must submit to the IRS each year is Form 990. This form will include information about the charity’s mission, their finances, their board of directors, and more. This is a good way to make sure that the organization that you’re interested in has a strong budget and balanced books. 

There are several third-party websites and organizations that review nonprofits against a set of standards for accountability and transparency. These can be a helpful tool in assessing nonprofits and learning more about them! 

One of the most popular third-party organizations for evaluating nonprofits is Candid. Their mission is to “get you the information you need to do good.” They operate a large database of information about nonprofits, and offer seals of transparency for nonprofits to display on their websites, to show that they have freely shared their information with Candid for donors and supporters to view. 

The Lift Garage is proud to have a Platinum Seal of Transparency, meaning that we have shared information about our operations, staff, donation processes, programs, financials, demographics, impact, and goals with Candid. 

The Charities Review Council is an organization that promotes charitable giving and connects nonprofits, donors, and grant makers. They provide helpful resources for both donors and nonprofits. 

One of the ways that they support donors like you is through their Accountability Standards.  The Accountability Standards assess the internal strength, transparency, and governance of an organization through a rigorous review process. When nonprofits meet these standards, it   gives donors peace of mind that their favorite causes are well-managed. 

The Lift Garage has been reviewed and assessed by the Charity Review Council’s Accountability Standards and is proud to be a Meets Standards nonprofit since 2018!

While Candid and Charities Review Council are two of the most popular organizations that gather nonprofit data, there are several other sites as well. These include Charity Navigator, the National Council of Nonprofits, GiveWell, and Charity Watch. It may be useful to review multiple sites and cross-reference the information that you find. 

Your generosity has the power to make a positive impact on your community, especially when you give wisely! A gift to The Lift Garage has a profound impact on the lives of our customers and the safety of our community, and we would be honored and grateful to have your trust and support.