The Center for Disaster Philanthropy, a new nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., aims to help donors leverage their resources throughout the disaster life cycle, helping afflicted communities recover and preventing future suffering through preparedness efforts. In response to Hurricane Sandy, the organization sponsored an audio conference with Dr. Irwin Redlener, Director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University; Teresa Wood of FEMA; and Regine A. Webster, Vice President of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. The panel put forth several key considerations for the philanthropic community as it begins to grapple with how to contribute to relief efforts and promote recovery in affected areas.

Although the audio conference addressed Hurricane Sandy specifically, the key points are applicable for any disaster situation:

• Do your homework; if you are considering supporting an organization that is positioned to work in an affected area, do some research. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy,National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters, and FEMA have lists of organizations working in affected communities.
• Natural disasters may affect a community’s ability to successfully provide education, health care, social services, and more. If you give in your organization’s area of expertise, you will be better positioned to evaluate your impact.
• The full scope of a natural disaster may not be fully realized until weeks, months, or even years later. Think about setting aside money or fundraising now to fund the mid- and long-term community needs.
• There are often lessons learned that could be used to create better policy and procedure. Consider funding disaster risk-reduction research or projects that could inform more effective disaster preparation and response policy.

For additional resources and to learn about how organizations that belong to Donors Forum are responding to Hurricane Sandy, click here.

— Wande Olude, Communications and Development Department