Even in Kyoto

I give generously but almost always outside the non-profit-industrial complex and my reasons are similar to yours. I know where my dollar goes the farthest and it’s usually not somewhere shiny.

However, I have been giving to Ye Olde University since I was able to afford it only because they allow you to specifically earmark your donation down to the department level. At least at our former undergrad institution, the geology department is terribly underfunded (one of the most poorly funded on campus), and I know from having chats long with the profs that they do receive my earmarked money every year and my donation goes directly to the needs of the students. Can’t beat that.