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It is devastating to hear about new and ongoing humanitarian disasters and conflicts in the news—to see images of destroyed buildings, displaced children, and refugee camps that lack basic needs. But knowing there are many more conflicts impacting communities that the news will never cover is equally heartbreaking.
We know about the correlation between the amount of attention a disaster receives and the charitable contributions to fuel the response. While humanitarian emergencies are generally underfunded year after year, more coverage usually means more charitable giving. After Russia’s latest invasion of Ukraine, we know this is true for human-made conflicts as well.
But not all conflicts around the world, and the suffering caused by them, get equal attention. Some wars and humanitarian crises receive more airtime and become a priority for donors and international relief efforts. That means some of the areas impacted most by war also experience the greatest funding and publicity gaps—and remain overlooked. They don’t receive the attention or the funding communities there need.
Meanwhile, increases in corporate grantmaking budgets slowed for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Annual CSR Insights Survey from the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals. In 2023, only 29% of surveyed companies increased their grantmaking budget. That’s a drop from 47% of surveyed companies that increased their grantmaking budget in 2021 and likely influenced by economic uncertainty.
What companies can do
Donating to the Hope in Crisis Fund or directly to our nonprofit partners is an amazing way to send resources to overlooked and underfunded communities. And just because the media or governments aren’t focused on a crisis, it doesn’t mean that people aren’t concerned about it and willing to give in support. In fact, these causes may be incredibly important for your employees.
When looking at funds to support or highlight for your charitable programs, consider how your company can give attention, funding, and hope to ensure no communities experiencing crisis are ever forgotten.
Read the full article about CSR for overlooked crises by Benjamin Litoff and Sandrina da Cruz at Global Giving.