Stephanie Sklar is the executive director of the local nonprofit group Social Venture Partners Greater Tucson.

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We can feel our stomachs sink as we watch our assets shrink, but now is not the time to abandon Southern Arizona's nonprofit community.

Nonprofits provide a safety net for those in greatest need. These organizations are particularly stressed now, as lower tax revenues cause government agencies to reduce support and corporations cut back their donations.

There are 2,600 nonprofit organizations in Southern Arizona and the range of nonprofit activities is vast. These organizations are meeting or supplementing the needs of our community that cannot be met by the public and private sectors alone. People who have given generously in the past are making tough decisions about where to cut back, which means we will need to be ever more intentional in our giving.

There are four steps donors can take to help insure that their philanthropic investments earn the greatest returns.

The most important step is to focus your giving on issues you care about. With limited dollars to donate, you'll have more impact supporting fewer causes than you would spreading small sums among many. And keep in mind, consistent investments over several years add up to substantial support, whether it's for ending homelessness or illiteracy, promoting child or animal welfare, or protecting the environment. Think about giving as something you do not one time, but over a lifetime.

Second, consider leveraging your contributions by making philanthropic investments through organizations that bundle individual donations, enabling them to make larger and, often, longer-term investments in promising nonprofits. Organizations such as the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, the Women's Foundation, the Jewish Community Foundation, the United Way and Social Venture Partners Greater Tucson pool private contributions and use a formal review process to allocate funds to meet community needs.

There are also "giving circles" that focus on particular interest areas, such as women's issues, international development or political advocacy. Many nonprofits have giving circles of their own, such as the Men's Anti-violence Partnership at the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault.

Third, become engaged with the organizations you support by volunteering.

What better way to help your investment grow than to take a hands-on role either in the review process itself or in the programs or operations of the organizations you support?

Nonprofits are always looking for qualified board members and dedicated volunteers.

Finally, become more educated about philanthropy. This means learning more about the various avenues for giving, understanding the breadth of the nonprofit community, and educating yourself on methods to evaluate your social investments.

Lee Iacocca observed: "My father used to say, 'You can spend a lot of time making money. The tough time comes when you have to give it away properly.' How to give something back, that's the tough part in life."

Our personal community investment decisions are never easy. Today it's more important than ever to invest, and invest wisely.