I was reading about Cancer Research recently(ish) and they’ve introduced a system whereby you can get details of each bit of research that’s being carried out and can “sponsor” that particular research. So, for example, if you have a particular interest in a bit of research about some aspect of pancreatic cancer you can get all the details about it, follow any developments and – as I recall – make sure your donations are targeted to that particular bit of research.
I think this is a great idea, as sometimes you get an uneasy feeling that your donation is going into a pot of cash and you don’t really have any engagement with what happens to your cash post-donation.