Charity Navigator,www.charity navigator.org. Boasts a searchable, sortable database plus top-10 lists in myriad categories.

American Institute of Philanthropy,www.charitywatch.org. Issues letter grades for charities nationwide.

Guidestar,www.guidestar.org. Has a massive database of nonprofit financials. You'll have to interpret them for yourself.

Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance,www.give.org. Identifies charities that spend at least 65 percent of their money on programs.



An Eventful Way to Help

Charity events are fun ways to help your fellow humans. Here are some top-earning - and top-entertaining - charity events across the country.

Crystal Charity Ball, December 9, 2006, Dallas. Town & Country has called this the best children's charity in the U.S. The ball, which is the preeminent social event in Dallas, raises more than $4 million each year for local children's organizations. www.crystalcharity ball.org

Robin Hood Foundation Ball, May 2007, New York. Organized by a board rife with Wall Street bigwigs and boldfaced names like Tom Brokaw, Harvey Weinstein, and Gwyneth Paltrow, this is the Manhattan event of the year, raising $48 million in a single night for the Robin Hood foundation. www.robinhood.org

Auction Napa Valley, June 7 to 10, 2007, Napa Valley and online. To be spearheaded next year by the Joseph Phelps Vineyards family, this is the biggest wine auction in the world, raising about $8.4 million annually for regional charities. In 2006, a single lot sold for $1.05 million. www.napavintners.com