Beyond the typical grant: Alternative ways to fund disasters

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In U.S. philanthropy, funders usually focus on making grants to organizations with a 501(c)(3) tax designation from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Yet, there are many other ways to fund domestically and internationally.

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy is hosting a webinar to help foundations, corporations and individual donors explore non-501(c)(3) organizations and the different ways to support them beyond traditional grantmaking. 

We will delve into supporting U.S. organizations that have other IRS designations, funding grassroots organizations and supporting local service providers outside the U.S. We will look at program-related investments, bridge loans, pass-through grants, fiscal sponsorship, seed funding and pooled or intermediary funds.

“Most donor support to local civil society organizations comes in the form of grants, but as currently structured, they are akin to analog technology to support change in a digital world. To achieve goals long pursued, we must re-envision the ’donor industrial complex’ and current system of ’piping’ restricted project funds through international NGO and multilateral recipient organizations. Such reforms must include increasing general operating support grants, but it is even more important to use and develop new financing solutions that shift power to locally-led initiatives.”

– Radical Flexibility Fund

At the end of the webinar, funders will:

1. Understand different tools for funding beyond grants.
2. Be aware of opportunities to fund organizations without 501(c)(3) status, domestically and internationally.
3. Learn from notable donors supporting diverse programs worldwide in new and effective ways.

While aimed at funders, it may also be of interest to emergency managers, academics, disaster responders and NGO staff interested in or working on disasters and other crises.