New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently sent out a letter to 75 nonprofit organizations requesting information about their fundraising efforts and how those donations have been used for disaster relief. Some of the groups on the list include Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, Habitat for Humanity International, Save the Children Federation Inc., the American Red Cross, United Way of New York City and the The Humane Society of the United States.

"In light of the importance of the recovery efforts, and the enormous amount of money raised in such a short period of time, it is critical that donors know where their money is going, and that funds are spent responsibly," said Schneiderman.

Once the Attorney General's office receives all of this information, it will be compiled into an online report that will make it easy for donors to see how and where their contributions are being used. While this is a specific instance in which nonprofits have been pressured to furnish more transparent records about their fundraising campaigns and payouts, it is part of a larger trend driven by cautious, cash-strapped donors who want measurable results.

Organizations that are providing funds for multiple nonprofit programs might find it easier to manage their large-scale efforts with fundraising management programs that can account for funds as they are disbursed to recipients.