How to help make your disaster relief donations count

Many Americans make it a priority to support organizations that provide aid to communities in the wake of disasters. One example is the American Red Cross: Donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations exceeded $639 million in its 2024 fiscal year (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024). That generosity allowed the organization to mount responses to more than 56,000 disaster operations, providing more than 52,200 households with relief items after events like wildfires in Hawaii and California, and Hurricane Helene and numerous tornadoes, storms, and floods in the Midwest and the South.^Footnote1

Of course, you don’t need to choose to support only national organizations if you want to donate to disaster relief efforts. With today’s easy access to information, it’s easier than ever to be very targeted and local.

“Constant media coverage is now part of the aftermath of any catastrophe, so individual donors are much more aware of what affected communities need. A little internet research can go a long way,” says Debra Romano, Senior Philanthropic Trust Advisory Specialist at Wealth & Investment Management, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. “Donors have the opportunity to be especially effective with their responses.”

Build giving into your long-term investment plan

The urge to help others is powerful, but it’s worth developing deliberate philanthropic goals so your giving is part of your overall wealth plan.

“Many Americans associate giving as part of the holiday tradition or as a last-minute tax strategy,” Romano says. “But creating an annual giving budget that can be responsive to events like Hurricane Helene or the L.A. fires can be more efficient for both the victims’ recovery and your own financial strategy.”

Natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires are often followed by a huge increase in donations to disaster relief organizations. While this outpouring of support is welcome, charities note that it’s important to have the resources they need before disaster strikes.

Romano supports this as a smart financial strategy as well. “Planning your giving in advance helps charitable organizations prepare rather than react,” she notes. “And it also gives you extra time to find charities that support your family’s values and are delivering the best benefit on a dollar-for-dollar basis.”

Know why you donate

Giving throughout the year instead of focusing on year-end donations can also help your family manage philanthropy as part of your general budget. “Families have increased budget pressures at year-end with holiday travel, entertainment, and spending on presents,” Romano says. “Giving midyear, or even quarterly, can help avoid that cash crunch.”

The extra time also allows donors to consider strategies beyond simply writing a check. Larger nonprofits often times accept a wide range of assets. For instance, donating appreciated securities owned for more than 12 months can be a tax-efficient way to give: You may be able to deduct the full market value of the securities (subject to adjusted gross income limitations) while avoiding capital gains taxes on those assets. But the process takes time, and a late start in December could mean missing out on that year’s income tax deduction. Working with your tax advisor early in the year can help you determine your potential tax benefits.

Organize your giving

If philanthropy is important to you, consider incorporating it into your overall financial strategy. At the beginning of the year, you may want to set a total for your annual charitable giving based on your budget and the causes you want to support. But leave a little aside for sudden catastrophes so that you know how much you can afford to give regardless of the time of year you make the donations. Your advisor can help you work through this process.

“Incorporating charitable giving into your wealth plan helps you know how much you can afford to contribute, regardless of when you give it,” Romano says. “That way, supporting humanitarian causes is not just an emotional decision, but deliberate and purposeful.”

After you identify which organizations will benefit from your donations, do your due diligence to help ensure the group is likely to use your donation effectively and efficiently. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides a searchable web database, EO Select Check, of organizations designated as qualified charities. Verifying that your chosen group is on the list can help you avoid donating to a fraudulent organization. You can also check a charity’s ratings on review sites such as Charity Navigator and Charity Watch to see how donations are managed and how much is spent on administration versus actual relief efforts. “I provide much of this very research for our clients who are seeking strong organizations to support and seek objective evaluation of their merits,” says Romano.

Understand that giving abroad is complex

Americans also make significant donations to victims of disasters around the world. And although donations to foreign charities are generally not deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes, you may support relief efforts by donating to a domestic charitable organization that has international partners active in disaster relief. Also, check the IRS website for guidelines on making international donations.

Charities and victims alike depend on the kindness of strangers for support after a disaster. If you make contributions throughout the year, your support can be available when needed the most, and you can make your generosity an integrated part of your financial strategy.

1. According to the American Red Cross 2024 Annual Report