Our Values
In alignment with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s vision, mission and commitment to racial and intersectional equity, our board and staff are guided by the following values. These values reflect who we strive to be as individuals, how we do what we do in pursuit of our mission, and our aspirations for doing better.
Integrity
We uphold high ethical standards, recognizing our privileged responsibility as stewards of resources vital for disaster recovery.
We believe in being accountable to our donors and community partners as we collectively strive to assist people disproportionately affected by disasters in their equitable recovery. This includes transparency in how we operate.
We value the confidence placed on us as we value and trust our partners vital to this work.
Boldness and Innovation
We passionately believe that vulnerability is often a social construct based on systemic and historically discriminatory policies, laws and practices.
We believe that the path toward stronger, vibrant communities requires us to call out the root causes of inequities and injustices and advocate for long-term solutions. It also involves supporting organizations leading social change.
We recognize that this entails tenacity, risk-taking, creativity and courage to model the change we wish to see.
Humility
We value and respect the expertise, experience, role and contributions of communities affected by disasters, grantee partners, collaborators, clients and team members.
We believe that local populations – especially racialized or marginalized people – are best positioned to lead conversations and determine the path toward strengthening their communities and equitable recovery.
We are deeply committed to learning from communities, leaders and other experts and sharing their wisdom with the broader philanthropic community.
We value honest feedback internally and from our partners as we practice intentional self–reflection and adaptability.
We cherish building and fostering partnerships, recognizing the importance of collaboration, exchange and mutual learning.
Empathy
Our work is about people: We approach our community partners and each other with care and thoughtfulness, recognizing the humanity central to our work and the dignity of those affected by disasters.
We also believe that the language and images we use matter: They can undermine or advance equitable recovery and the development of lasting solutions.