Giving Compass' Take:

• The author provides a conclusive list of why community foundations would be effective drivers of impact giving for natural disaster relief.

• What other areas of giving could community foundations focus on to increase impact philanthropy?

• Want to get involved in giving back? Read about the basic tips for disaster giving. 

The human, economic and environmental toll of natural disasters in the last few months has been nothing short of overwhelming. There are hundreds of worthy agencies where you could potentially make a gift, but how do you know what charitable investment will deliver the greatest impact?

Consider a community foundation. Community foundations are essentially philanthropic hubs that provide leadership, stewardship and leverage for a broad range of individual charitable contributions.

Here are the first five reasons why:

  1. Community knowledge. Community foundations are rooted in the communities they serve, so they know firsthand of the needs following a disaster and the assets that can be deployed to respond.
  2. Vetting. Community foundations are in the business of making effective grants to reputable nonprofits. They’ve done their homework so you don’t have to.
  3. Partners. Because they are truly community-grown institutions, community foundations are used to working in close partnership with other organizations.
  4. Leadership and Reputation. Community foundations are created by community members, which means they are usually among the most trusted institutions around.
  5. Give any amount. Community foundations offer options for donors who wish to give any amount.

Read the full list about disaster giving by Kris Putnam-Walkerly at Putnam Consulting Group