A disaster is not a moment in time. It is a process. In addition, disasters are not great equalizers. They disproportionately affect historically marginalized communities, low-income families, women, and children. Consequently, disaster occurs when the preexisting conditions that create vulnerability and the impact of the event itself exacerbate community needs and overwhelm their capacity to respond and recover.

In the immediate aftermath of an event, people need water, food, and shelter. In these early days, the urgency is palpable, and many want to give and assist. But once the debris piles disappear and the headlines move on to the next crisis or event, local nonprofits, faith communities, schools and civic organizations take on the burden of carrying a community towards recovery.

In the weeks to months after an event, I have met with many nonprofit leaders who are stuck and unsure of the next steps. Some have spent all their donated dollars in the first month and are starting to see that their needs have yet to be met. Others are waiting for government resources and are unsure of how to find the resources for long-term recovery that the government won’t or can’t provide. Often, they are tired and ready to return to normal, but I have to bring the news that this isn’t going to be over soon and attempt to balance that with encouragement and a vision of what recovery can be.

Balancing urgency with thoughtful, strategic giving can be challenging but is critical for equitable recovery. Here are some ways funders can approach disaster funding in a world with new weather or climate-related disasters daily. Underlying all this is the value that we must center and prioritize historically marginalized communities and continue to learn from and follow the lead of underrepresented and underserved communities for when, where and how we support and fund.

  1. Fund early recovery
  2. Fund mid- to long-term recovery
  3. Fund courageously

Read the full article about disaster recovery funding by Cari Cullen at PEAK Grantmaking.