Throughout Q1, we have been reviewing and sharing ways to support those impacted by the fires in Los Angeles, CA (see below), the nature of which echoed the 2021 Marshall fire here in Colorado. Since then, among other acts of kindness and charity, we have seen groups that were affected by the Marshall fire organizing and reaching out to people in LA to support them under similar circumstances. Within those conversations came an important opportunity for all of us to consider: Many residents and property owners in the fire-impacted areas were surprised to learn how under-insured their properties had become over time. Construction costs can vary considerably by region, and insurance policies are not typically set up to track market rates in real-time. So, consider checking your insurance policy values relative to the true rebuilding costs of any properties you own. We’ve found that it is worth the time to assess the risk through this lens and make an informed decision about the value of the insurance you carry. CPR reports on the issue, through the lens of the Marshall Fire, here.
As for opportunities to support those in Los Angeles who have lost so much, here are some resources and suggestions from Deborah Dubin, Chief Philanthropy Officer, here at Moneta.
- The California Community Foundation, based in Los Angeles, is amplifying long-term relief efforts through their Wildfire Recovery Fund.
- The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) works with local partners to ensure access to equitable recovery. CDP maintains a California Wildfires Recovery Fund, which will support recovery efforts for medium-to-long-term response and renewal.
- Philanthropy California, a collaboration of grantmaking associations, partners with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to support disaster relief. See their 2025 California Disaster Response database for vetted organizations that are supporting place-based nonprofits; organizations can be filtered based on regions and focus areas.
- The Los Angeles Times is curating a growing list of area nonprofit organizations that are seeking donations. (Caveat: as always, it is important to verify the authenticity of any organization you support, so conduct some due diligence if you have questions about stewardship). Contributions to personal GoFundMe requests are not generally tax-deductible for the donor.
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