M: When calamity strikes, Americans have a reputation for digging into their pockets and giving. This is commendable, but be careful: AS all charities are not created equal. Because most charities are nonprofit, their effectiveness cannot be measured financially, as with the stock market. This makes it difficult to know how well they are spending the money that is so generously donated. Fortunately, there are a number of organizations that analyze charities and rate them according to a variety of different criteria. Their idea is to help givers channel their donations to entities that will ensure the money goes where it's supposed to -- to help the needy -- rather than into the pockets of the charity's leaders. These organizations typically rate charities like movie reviews, giving them from one star for poor performance to four stars for outstanding work. Some also invite customers to write reviews of charitable organizations. Before you make your next donation, you might want to investigate the charity you're considering online.