Strategy as Well as Empathy Should Guide Disaster Giving

The Wall Street Journal offers strategic advice on disaster philanthropy as part of a special section of stories on wealth management. The article includes tips from experts on navigating the sea of pleas big donors receive in after a crisis in an era when social media and blanket news coverage generate near-instantaneous appeals for charity.

Recommendations include setting aside a budget for disaster response as part of philanthropic financial planning; using donor-advised funds to align crisis giving with overall philanthropic goals; and avoiding possibly fraudulent “pop-up” charities by focusing disaster giving on established, experienced relief organizations.