Originally Posted by
NOLAnwGOLD
...and the new way to donate points, basically is power by Network for Good, so most US registered charities are possible receiptants of donated points (starts 2,500 points = $5).
MRgivingUS.com
This seems like a great way to be able to get some orphan points to good causes and just flexible for each of us to direct what we want to give towards. Hopefully it helps the small group in Rwanda to get some extra donations too (Ihangane Project) since our mission is big but budget is small!
Donating points is great, but if you want to maximize their value, consider donating them to organizations that can use them for hotel stays. Then your 25k point donation can save the group $100-300, rather than just bringing in $50 in income to the organization. School teams (sports, debate, robotics, etc.) often travel to competitions and have to pay for hotel stays. The same is true for urban debate leagues, that provide opportunities for debate competition to low income public school students. Reach out to a program or school in your area to see if they could use some free hotel nights.
Small non-profits also frequently send their employees to meetings and conferences, so I expect that they could use your points for hotel stays as well.
The only downside is that this sort of donation is a bit more work on your part. You have to make the contact and book the room. But given that this renders your donation from 2-6x more valuable, it seems worth doing.
If you can't think of a program in your area that could use some free hotel nights, PM me and I can probably help you find one.