Don't assume that the money for a specific type of plate goes to that cause. Here in Georgia for example, there's an "Animal Friendly" plate from which the proceeds supposedly fund pet sterilization programs - worthy considering about 14,000 animals a day are euthanized nationwide. Lo and behold, the money collected goes into a more general fund managed by the state's agriculture department and last I heard was not being used to fund the sterilization program.