The mass shootings that took place in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio this past weekend are nightmare tragedies that bring us to tears but also motivate many of us to help. While BBB Wise Giving Alliance encourages generosity, we also remind donors to take steps to avoid questionable efforts that often emerge after such tragedies. To assist contributors, we have prepared giving advice included in this link: www.BBB.org/GivingAfterTragedy

While charities can be vetted, it is much more difficult to assess the trustworthiness of individuals who have posted a request for assistance on a crowdfunding site. As a result, it is safest to give to individuals you personally know. If that is not possible, the next best practice is to find out if the funds collected are going to be forwarded and distributed by an established charitable organization. In that case, the organization can be checked out and the involvement of a third-party organization can provide an additional level of oversight and assurance. Also, be warry of vague descriptions about how the collected funds will be used. For example, will the funds be used to assist funeral expenses, medical expenses, or other activities? Thoughtful requests for funding will take the added step of identifying and verifying needs before money is raised.

Also, remember to check out charities at Give.org to find out if the subject organizations meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.