Rarely does a month go by without the news of another disaster or humanitarian tragedy. Most recently, the fires, hurricanes, floods, and war are making the headlines and also generating widespread charitable support. Many individuals and families are no doubt supporting relief efforts through monetary donations. Local community foundations in affected regions are an excellent resource and partner in disaster response, generally playing the role of receiving and distributing both short and long-term philanthropic support.

Multi-billion-dollar damage events occur annually and, not surprisingly, natural disasters and humanitarian tragedies consistently attract much-needed philanthropic support. Most of the charitable dollars following a disaster flow to essential and immediate relief efforts. Donors might be interested to know, however, that dollars for efforts related to rebuilding and future mitigation are also critically important. Affected communities need both immediate support for people affected by a disaster and long-term commitments to address ongoing ramifications.

Many people use their donor-advised funds to support disaster relief efforts. And with rebuilds and recoveries often occurring long-term, a bunching strategy could help clients support disaster relief efforts through their donor-advised funds for several years. This allows clients to plan in advance to provide support, while also being smart about the tax advantages in the year of the transfer to their donor-advised fund.

Rose Community Foundation is an ideal partner to ensure that our local region is protected and prepared for generations to come. We encourage donors to consider endowments, designated funds, and other perpetual structures to leave a legacy. These types of funds can be especially attractive for people who have reached the age of 70 ½, as these funds are eligible recipients of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from IRAs. Your can also make charitable gifts in advance of disasters, and then the Foundation can deploy resources immediately when urgent needs occur.

Our team is honored to serve as a valuable resource as you deploy the power of philanthropy as a helping hand to those who need it most.