The scenes from Japan are almost unbearable to watch. More than 450,000 homeless. Shortages of gas and food. A crippled nuclear facility that seems to grow more unstable by the day.

It's the type of calamity that makes you want to send a check to a relief organization. But philanthropic experts say there are more effective ways to spend your charitable dollars. And there are concerns that well-meaning nonprofits could make the situation in Japan even worse.

Through Thursday, U.S. charities had raised $87 million for relief efforts, far less than the $210 million raised in the six days after an earthquake devastated Haiti last year, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The disparity reflects the recognition that Japan is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and is better equipped to finance its own recovery efforts.

Still, some recent developments are worrisome, says Elie Hassenfeld, co-founder of GiveWell.org , a nonprofit charity evaluator. Some charities are aggressively using Google ads and other tools to raise money for Japan recovery efforts, even though it's too early to determine how much will be needed, Hassenfeld says.

Some charities that are soliciting donations for Japan relief are ill-equipped to provide relief in that country, says Saundra Schimmelpfennig, an international relief expert and author of the blog Good Intentions Are Not Enough. The fine print on some of these solicitations states that the charities are "assessing the situation," or "prepared to assist," Schimmelpfennig notes. "They're not saying they're going to be working in that country, and there's a chance they'll raise that money and not spend it."

Better ways to help:

• Contribute to an organization that helps with disaster preparedness. Japan has one of the most sophisticated disaster preparedness programs in the world, and that saved thousands of lives, Schimmelpfennig says. Many other countries and communities aren't as well-prepared. If you're interested in contributing to local programs, ask your community's police or fire department for recommendations, she says. You can find information about nonprofits that help with international disaster preparedness at Interaction.org.

• Don't earmark your donations. If the devastation in Japan inspires you to increase your charitable giving, there are plenty of worthy causes that need money.

Just don't insist that your contributions go to Japan. Earmarking your contributions for a specific purpose can lead to waste and misspent funds, Hassenfeld says. That's a particular concern in Japan, where the humanitarian crisis has less to do with a lack of funds than with the inability to get food, fuel and medicine to victims.

Hassenfeld's advice: Give to outstanding organizations and trust their judgment.

Many charities are reluctant to turn away targeted contributions because they're popular with donors, Schimmelpfennig says. A notable exception is Doctors Without Borders. While the charity has sent medical teams to assess the situation in Japan, it's not accepting contributions that are earmarked for Japan relief efforts.

In a statement on its website, Doctors Without Borders says unrestricted contributions allow it to provide rapid and targeted medical care in more than 60 countries -- whether they're in the news or not.

• Resist the temptation to send food or clothing to quake victims. Shipments of random goods from well-meaning donors could clog Japan's damaged ports and make a bad situation worse, Schimmelpfennig says.

• Watch out for bogus charities. So far, there have been few reports of charitable scams in connection with the disaster in Japan. Still, con artists tend to exploit high-profile events, so the usual rules apply: Don't respond to phone or e-mail solicitations; don't send cash; and vet any charity thoroughly before giving money.

• If you're intent on helping Japan, wait. So far, Japan is doing a good job of coordinating relief efforts, Schimmelpfennig says. Donors should give the government time to determine which nonprofits are best-suited to help, then support those groups.

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