Here are six disaster giving tips you can practice to maximize your impact:

1. Give cash. Chances are survivors do not need your old ski jackets or toys. They may not even need canned goods, diapers, or bottled water shipped from faraway places.

2. Invest in local nonprofits responding to the disaster. Local nonprofits are vital to disaster recovery but often lack the capacity to fundraise on a global scale.

3. Do not rush to volunteer. Saving lives is the immediate goal of skilled first responders, and your presence as a volunteer could complicate their search and rescue operations.

4. Share the stories of survivors. It is important to many communities that their challenges are not forgotten after disaster strikes.

5. Provide long-term support. A startling 70-80% of disaster funding is aimed at short-term relief, and most of it is given within the first two months of a disaster. While funding dries up or stops altogether, needs persist for years following a disaster as families strive to rebuild their communities.

6. Focus on disaster risk reduction. Did you know that every $1 invested in disaster risk reduction saves $6 in the aftermath of a disaster?

Read the full article on disaster giving from GlobalGiving. Access the complete Smart Giving 101 guide here.