Give to a cause you care about

Sportivearena is a shop, not an association. I do not collect donations or take any commission: everything happens directly between you and the organization you choose.

This page exists because a shop does not have to be just a place for transactions. If you want to donate, here's where to do it seriously. If you don't want to, or can't afford to, move on without guilt — nothing here is linked to your order.

Find a reliable charity, wherever you are

The most important thing is not to give a lot, but to give to a reputable organization. Here are the tools to check before donating.

Worldwide

• GlobalGiving — thousands of local projects in over 175 countries, each verified before publication. You can filter by country and cause: animal protection, children, homeless, disability. This is the best starting point if you want to support an organization in your region, whether in Mexico, Senegal, Brazil or elsewhere.
• Charity Navigator — to assess the financial transparency of a US organization before donating.

In France

• Don en Confiance — the reference label. Around a hundred organizations continuously monitored for their management and transparency. If an association is listed here, you can donate with peace of mind.
• Aquidonner — an independent comparison site that does not collect donations and receives nothing from associations. You filter by cause and then donate directly on their website.

Elsewhere in Europe and worldwide

Most countries have an official register of organizations authorized to receive donations. Search for "association register" or "charity register" followed by the name of your country. Some examples: the Charity Commission in the United Kingdom, the CBF in the Netherlands, the DZI in Germany, the AEFr in Spain.

The most common causes

On GlobalGiving, as well as on national directories, you can filter by theme. Here are the terms that will lead you where you want to go.

• Abandoned, abused or disabled animals — search for "animal welfare" or "animal protection". In France, local shelters often need donations much more than large national organizations.
• Homeless people — "homelessness" or "fight against exclusion". Your city's outreach programs and day centers are often the most effective per euro donated.
• Orphaned or fostered children — "children", "orphan care", "child protection".
• Disability and support — "disability" or "handicap".
• Sport and access to physical activity — the cause closest to what we do: enabling children or people in precarious situations to practice a sport.

Three tips before donating

1. Check the official website. Type the association's name into a search engine rather than clicking on a link received via message. Fake collections are common, especially after widely publicized disasters.
2. Prefer regular donations to one-off donations. Even €3 per month: it allows associations to plan, which a single large donation does not.
3. Consider in-kind donations and volunteering. Two hours of your time are sometimes worth more than twenty euros.

Why I don't collect donations myself

It would be simpler to put a "+€1 for an association" button at checkout. I don't do it, and I prefer to explain why.

As soon as a merchant collects money intended for a third party, they become an intermediary: the funds pass through their account, they must prove that they have been transferred, and the donor does not receive a tax receipt. Many shops do it poorly, and some use it mainly as a marketing argument.

By donating directly to the association, you are guaranteed that 100% of your donation reaches them, and you get your tax receipt — in France, a 66% tax reduction, up to 75% for aid to people in difficulty.

It's less spectacular for me. It's much better for you and for them.

Do you have a charity close to your heart and think it belongs here? Write to me at info.contact@sportivearena.com.