The news truck just pulled up. Your community is about to get national attention. In 48 hours, people across the country will want to donate. Will you be ready to receive—and steward—their generosity?
After a major disaster gets media coverage, donations peak in the first 72 hours. If you don't have a way to receive money when the story airs, you'll lose the majority of donation potential—forever. People donate once, in the moment. They don't come back.
Here's what happens after a disaster makes national news:
You have approximately 24 hours from when your disaster hits national news to have a donation mechanism in place. Every hour you delay costs real money that could help real families.
You probably don't have a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ready to go. That's fine. Most communities don't. The solution is fiscal sponsorship.
A fiscal sponsor is an existing 501(c)(3) organization that agrees to receive and manage donations on your behalf. Donors get their tax deduction, you get access to the funds for disaster relief, and you don't need to wait months for IRS approval.
How it works:
Call these organizations today:
| Factor | Fiscal Sponsor | Your Own 501(c)(3) |
|---|---|---|
| Time to launch | 24-48 hours | 3-12 months |
| Cost | 5-10% of donations | $400-850 filing fee + legal costs |
| Control | Sponsor has final say on expenditures | Full control |
| Accounting burden | Sponsor handles it | You handle it (990 filings, etc.) |
| Best for | Immediate needs, single-event disasters | Long-term operations (18+ months) |
Our recommendation: Start with a fiscal sponsor. You can always form your own 501(c)(3) later if the recovery effort will last more than 18 months. Don't let paperwork delay helping people.
If you're planning for a long-term recovery effort (most tornado/hurricane recoveries last 2-3 years), you may want your own nonprofit. Here's what's involved:
Use a fiscal sponsor to start accepting donations immediately. File for your own 501(c)(3) in parallel. Once approved, you can transition donor relationships to your own organization.
Once you have a fiscal sponsor (or your own nonprofit), you need a way to accept online donations. Here are your best options for speed:
PayPal Giving Fund / PayPal Donate
Stripe
GoFundMe Charity
Facebook Fundraisers
Network for Good / Classy / Bloomerang
Set up multiple donation channels. Have a Stripe-powered page on your website, a GoFundMe for social sharing, and PayPal as a backup. Different donors prefer different platforms. Make it easy for everyone.
Your donation page needs to accomplish three things: establish trust, create urgency, and make giving easy.
$25 — Provides a hot meal for a family of four and cleaning supplies to start recovery
$50 — Covers one day of generator fuel for a family without power
$100 — Buys tarps and materials to weatherproof a damaged roof
$250 — Provides emergency housing assistance for one week
$500 — Covers materials for volunteer crews to repair one home
What you say matters as much as where you say it. Here are messaging principles that work:
National organizations have brand recognition, but you have something they don't: you're actually there. Emphasize that donations stay local and go directly to affected families.
100% of donations go directly to Claremore families affected by the May 25th tornado. No overhead. No administrative costs. Your neighbors helping your neighbors.
Vague appeals don't work. Tell people exactly what their money does:
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| "Help disaster victims" | "Help Mrs. Johnson rebuild her roof before the next storm" |
| "Support relief efforts" | "$50 buys the tarps and nails our volunteer crews need for one home" |
| "Every dollar helps" | "We've helped 47 families. 89 more are waiting." |
Urgency should be honest, not manipulative:
Disaster donations attract scrutiny. Protect your reputation (and your community's trust) by being radically transparent from the start.
Publish updates at these intervals:
This week: 23 families received assistance. Funds spent: $12,450 on roofing materials, $3,200 on tree removal, $1,800 on temporary housing. Zero administrative overhead—every dollar went to families.
If you can truthfully say "100% of donations go directly to affected families," that's powerful. To make this work:
If you can't make the 100% claim, be honest about what percentage goes to direct assistance. "92% goes directly to families, 8% covers essential coordination costs" is still a strong message.
Never mix disaster relief donations with other organizational funds. Open a separate bank account (or fiscal sponsor fund) exclusively for disaster relief. This is both a legal requirement and essential for transparent reporting.
Waiting for "perfect" before launching
Your donation page doesn't need to be beautiful. It needs to exist. Launch something basic in 24 hours; improve it later.
Not getting in front of the story
If a news outlet is covering your disaster, reach out to them with your donation link. They want to tell viewers how to help. Make it easy.
Accepting in-kind donations you can't use
This guide is about cash donations for a reason. Managing donated goods is a separate challenge (and often a liability). Cash is more efficient. Don't dilute your message.
No plan for excess funds
What happens if you raise more than you need? Define this upfront. Options: support neighboring communities, fund future preparedness, donate to state VOAD. Have this in writing before it becomes an issue.
Ignoring QR codes for on-site donations
If you're setting up a relief center or hosting media, have QR codes that link directly to your donation page. Many people will want to donate immediately from their phones.
You can accept donations without 501(c)(3) status, but donors won't get a tax deduction. This dramatically reduces donation amounts. Use a fiscal sponsor instead—it gives donors their tax deduction while you operate without your own tax-exempt status.
This happens constantly after disasters—well-meaning individuals start crowdfunding campaigns. If possible, work with them to consolidate efforts. If their campaign is for personal relief, that's different from community-wide recovery. Be clear about what your official fund covers and coordinate rather than compete.
This is why case management matters. Establish clear criteria (e.g., demonstrated disaster impact, income below a threshold, unmet needs after insurance and FEMA). Document decisions. Consider forming an "unmet needs committee" with representatives from multiple organizations to review cases. Read our case management guide →
If your fiscal sponsor can handle it, yes—these can be significant gifts. But don't prioritize setting this up. Focus on credit cards and PayPal first. Cryptocurrency and stock donations are edge cases that can wait until you have basic operations running.
Many employers match employee donations. If you're using a fiscal sponsor, verify they're registered with major matching gift databases (Double the Donation, Benevity, YourCause). Mention matching gifts in your communications—"Your employer may match your gift, doubling your impact."
As long as you're actively providing assistance. Many LTRs operate for 18-36 months after a major disaster. When donations slow to a trickle and remaining needs are met, publish a final report and close the fund. Have a plan for any remaining balance (transfer to preparedness efforts, state VOAD, or another community in need).
Once donations are flowing, you'll need to coordinate how they're distributed. Learn how to set up case management for disaster survivors.
Case Management Basics →