Announcing $890,173 to support recovery from low-attention disasters

The last 18 months have brought numerous low-attention disasters to locations throughout the CDP Midwest Early Recovery Fund’s (ERF) 10-state region. Nine of 2023’s 15 billion-dollar disasters impacted ERF states, affecting hundreds of rural communities. Many of these disasters were severe-storm related, as the 2022 and 2023 tornado seasons were particularly active.

ERF consistently supports recovery efforts from these low-attention disasters through funding and technical assistance that allows communities to build local capacity and promote equitable, community recovery.

Supporting recovery

Since the beginning of 2023, ERF has awarded $890,173 in grants to 10 organizations working to provide essential recovery services for nine low-attention disasters across five states and one Native Nation.

Our needs assessment and conversations with regional partners helped us to identify and support local organizations. These grants allow communities and organizations to advance or sustain recovery efforts and meet needs in coordination, volunteer management, psychosocial support and economic recovery.

We are pleased to announce the following grants from the Midwest Early Recovery Fund:

• Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (ACOM) — A $70,400 grant to support disaster recovery coordination in northwest Arkansas following a 2022 tornado. ACOM will provide a Resilient to Disasters program and outreach and educational opportunities to Marshallese households across northwest Arkansas.
• Arkansas Community Foundation (ACF) — A $180,000* grant to support disaster case management and child care needs in the Little Rock and Wynne, Arkansas areas following March 2023 tornadoes. ACF will utilize these funds to complement dollars donated to them for recovery to reach more individuals, households and child care providers with essential recovery services.
• Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri — A $31,428 grant to support disaster case management for individuals and households affected by a tornado in Bollinger County, Missouri.
• Communities Foundation for Oklahoma (CFOK) — A $107,415 grant to support a disaster recovery coordinator for Seminole, Oklahoma. CFOK is working closely with the City of Seminole and the Seminole Community Foundation to meet community recovery needs after a 2022 tornado.
• Crisis Care Ministries — A $101,200 grant, with the fiscal sponsorship of The Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church, to support trauma-informed care in faith-based communities throughout Oklahoma. This grant was made in response to multiple disasters in Oklahoma, including the 2023 Central Oklahoma Tornadoes.
• Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center — A $66,000 grant to provide psychosocial support to children and youth following the March 2023 tornadoes affecting central and eastern portions of the state. Some of the funds were also used to support a disaster assistance center to replenish relief and response resources.
• Lost and Found Association — A $78,210 grant to provide psychosocial support to youth, young adults and families in western South Dakota in response to multiple weather-related disasters throughout the area.
• Mennonite Disaster Service — A $154,000 grant for the development of volunteer accommodations as phase one of a housing repair and rebuild project in partnership with Oshkiimaajitahdah. The grant is in response to 2021 severe storms that impacted Red Lake Nation.
• Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District (NRMEDD) — A $10,000 grant to support community economic recovery after the 2022 Montana flood. Funds supported an economic recovery specialist and will allow NRMEDD to leverage additional state and federal funding for recovery.
• United Way of Pottawatomie County — A $91,520 grant for disaster recovery coordination. Funds will allow a recovery coordinator to work with the long-term recovery group, manage financial, material and volunteer needs, and support area-wide recovery efforts following tornadoes and severe weather impacting the area in 2023.

We continue to track and assess needs for low-attention disasters throughout the 10-state ERF region and beyond. We are grateful for our grantee, philanthropic, regional and thought partners.

*This grant was co-funded by CDP’s Tornado Recovery Fund and Midwest Early Recovery Fund.