From the data available, large U.S. foundations and corporations donated nearly $300 million for disasters in 2014, an increase over the amount tracked in 2013. Yet this generous number pales in comparison to distributions by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee. The mosaic of funders giving toward disasters is diverse, and the data highlight the need for better cooperation and coordination among all organizations and sectors.

We can no longer afford to wait for a disaster to strike to begin to act. Philanthropy’s current crisis driven, episodic approach is insufficient and unsustainable. We can and should use these data to become more intentional and more collaborative disaster-related philanthropists.

Key findings from our 2014 analysis include the following:

  • Drawing upon multiple data sources, we documented $22.5 billion in disaster-related giving in 2014. The Ebola outbreak dominated funding from foundations, corporations, and individuals, whereas bilateral and multilateral aid was largely directed to complex humanitarian emergencies.
  • Grants awarded by 1,000 of the largest U.S. foundations totaled $225.7 million, nearly twice the amount distributed in 2013. While funding increased in terms of grant dollars, fewer grants were distributed in 2014 by fewer funders than in years prior.
  • Addressing the Ebola crisis generated the most investments from large U.S. foundations (70 percent of funding). The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation made significant contributions toward the outbreak.

Read the source article at IssueLab