Katrina, Tsunami Lessons Can Inform Haiti Fundraising

For individuals looking to do the most good with their dollars, the two groups provide the following advice:

• Check out the charity through groups such as Guidestar, www.guidestar.org, and the Better Business Bureau, www.bbb.org, to ensure they are legitimate.
• Donate to reputable organizations that are known for their expertise in times of disaster and making sure that money gets to the right places.
• Investigate how a charity intends to spend the dollars raised and who will cover the administrative costs. Don’t avoid giving to charities that will use some donations for administrative costs; it takes resources to manage and distribute contributions responsibly. But look for nonprofits that direct at least 75 percent of gifts to programs.
• Read the guidelines published by the White House to find out the best ways to help victims and groups that are helping those affected by the earthquake.
• Resist the urge to go to the damaged area to provide help; watch for news of requests for volunteers. At this time, volunteers are being actively discouraged from trying to travel to Haiti.
• Those looking to donate time, supplies or funds should contact the Center for International Disaster Information.