DAFs & Disaster Relief: Immediate Help & Long Term Good

On any given day, somewhere in the world, people are suffering from hardship & hurt due to a natural disaster. Sometimes the disaster is momentary and painful ( tornado, hurricane, earthquake) while in other instances the harm may occur over a longer period of time, such as a drought( and the crop loss and starvation that comes with it), and may have a myriad of causes beyond just nature ( political, commercial, cultural.)

Disaster relief when needed most

For those donors who want to help, the challenge of knowing who to turn to and what to do exactly to aid victims of natural disasters can be a source of confusion & friction. For nonprofits trying to assist with immediate needs and long-term recovery, they may face a donor audience whose attention has already moved beyond from the past TV news cycle to new disasters, new issues, and the new attention that they bring.

This article will look at the value that donor advised fund (DAF) holders offer to disaster relief and how nonprofits can pursue them as reliable givers for both near-term help and long-term relief.

Disasters & DAFs

A  recent news release from Vanguard Charitable, a donor advised fund sponsor, reported that overall giving for the first half of 2025 grew 30%, with much of the growth due to DAF donors granting to disaster relief causes.

They reported that over $11 million in grants went to charities serving victims of hurricane damage, and $10 million went to nonprofits serving victims of the wildfires in the western US. Generosity is not restricted to just help within US borders. Of additional note, Vanguard noted that the top 3 charities granted to in the first half of 2025 were Doctors Without Borders, World Central Kitchen, and Samaritan’s Purse, all serving disaster relief needs worldwide.

Why DAFs are Ideal

The money within a DAF exclusively exists for charitable impact; it cannot be used for any other purpose except granting to nonprofits and the charitable work that they do. Every DAF is a potential immediate source of funding to any organization providing disaster relief.

Nearly every DAF sponsor provides an online process whereby grants can be made easily, with grant funds disbursed quickly to the causes that need them for their immediate use.

Disaster Relief: Serving the Needy for More Than a Day

Unfortunately, for many organizations, the attention of their donor audience can be limited. For those aiding in disaster relief, donors can become fatigued, becoming emotionally burned out and growing tired of endless news cycles of disaster and tragedy and the stream of negative imagery.

For charities involved in disaster relief, building a long term giving strategy with DAF holders needs to focus on educating on the three phases of disaster relief:

• Immediate Relief: Providing victims with immediate needs like medical care, food, clothing and shelter.

• Short-Term Stabilization: Needs like temporary housing, mental/emotional counseling for well-being, emergency financial assistance, and connection to other service providers.

• Long-Term Recovery & Resilience: This involves reconstructing & repairing the homes and businesses affected, fixing systemic issues that allowed the disaster to occur(or be made worse) and other future-oriented concerns.

The disasters and victims may change, but the need never ends. By focusing on the entire spectrum of needs and educating donors accordingly, a nonprofit can position themselves as a long-term and ongoing recipient of funding outside the momentary attention of TV cameras focusing on the short-term news of a disaster.

For such organizations, identifying/focusing on the DAF donors you have now and pursuing them strategically is key. This article provides guidance on how to identify these donors.

Conclusion

For nonprofits serving disaster victims, maximizing strategic DAF fundraising can feel like an uphill battle. Simultaneously, DAF donors aiming for an impactful, thoughtful giving strategy may struggle to identify the best course of action and best cause. Generosity Nexus makes strategic philanthropy simple. We provide the expertise to clarify the process and ensure better implementation for both donors and organizations.

Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment to learn more about how we can help you.