Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Resilience

Overview

If you want to create an endless debate amongst disaster researchers or responders, academics, emergency mangers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and philanthropists, ask them to define “resilience.” Every field has its own definition and most individuals within each discipline will define it differently.

The Latin root of “resilience” means to bounce back. While this definition of resilience has been used in discussions around disasters for some time, the following four common definitions reflect a more nuanced understanding of resilience:

  • “The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner,” United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).
  • “The ability of a social or ecological system to absorb disturbances while retaining the same basic structure and ways of functioning, the capacity for self-organisation, and the capacity to adapt to stress and change,” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
  • “The capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and reorganize while undergoing change,” the Resilience Alliance.
  • “Disaster Resilience is the ability of countries, communities and households to manage change, by maintaining or transforming living standards in the face of shocks or stresses — such as earthquakes, drought or violent conflict — without compromising their long-term prospects,” Department for International Development (DFID), UK Aid.

In recent years, conversations regarding resilience have both broadened and deepened, expanding to incorporate elements of disaster risk reduction, development, climate change adaptation, land-use management, and socio-economic, political and ecological factors. There has also been increased emphasis placed on personal and community resilience. Funders need to determine what their definition of resilience is, what it includes (and does not include) and how it will be integrated across all their funding streams. It is no longer enough to provide immediate relief and longer-term recovery and/or mitigation for the next disastrous event. New ideas of resilience focus on a more systems-based, integrated approach that also considers sustainability despite future changes in, for example, political structure or the economy. A comprehensive resilience framework needs to include physical assets, culture and behavior. Context is also critically important. For instance, teaching women and girls to swim in coastal communities at risk of tsunamis develops their personal resilience and preparedness. It would do nothing however, for young women in Kansas, who would be more resilient by creating preparedness or evacuation kits and learning how to survive an earthquake or tornado.

It is important to look holistically at a community to see what resources and assets are in place before a disaster that will enhance resilience after a disaster. DFID’s ‘assets pentagon’ is based on the sustainable livelihoods framework and considers the social, human, physical, financial and natural resources and assets at play.

Source: Defining Disaster Resilience – A DFID Approach Paper

Key Facts

  • Urban areas continue to grow at a rapid pace. Climate-related natural disasters continue to be on the increase—and the costs of recovery continue to rise, as well, especially in urban areas. While only 10 percent lived in cities in 1913, currently 55 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas. The UN estimates that an additional 2.5 billion people could be added to urban centers by 2050, bringing the total percentage to 68. Of this growth, 35 percent will occur in China, India and Nigeria. And when the urban growth has been quick, the related structures and assets may also be more vulnerable.
  • The impact of climate change continues to grow. It is estimated that the economic cost of extreme weather, triggered by climate change, is likely to rise from $240 billion annually to $360 billion annually, over the next decade, in the U.S. alone.
  • The cost of recovery from disasters is also increasing. Munich Re estimated that the costs of disasters in 2018 was $160 billion, above the average of $140 billion, but below the $360 billion recorded in 2017. They also report that the number of people killed – 10,400 – is high but lower than the average, leading them to believe that “measures to protect human life are starting to take effect.”

How to Help

  • Building the resilience of individuals and communities before a disaster is of great importance. The goal of disaster recovery is often stated as restoring a community to the way they were before the disaster struck. However, for communities that were facing great social challenges such as poverty, an affordable housing shortage, crime etc., it is better to look at how to make them even better and to address some of those challenges as part of recovery.
  • Work to change the conversation about disaster risk reduction. Not all disaster risk reduction efforts are as beneficial as they could be—especially when they fail to consider potential changes in communities, economies and leadership over time.
  • Focus on efforts that are ahead of the curve. Disaster philanthropy continues to happen primarily in the immediate wake of a catastrophe. However, efforts that reduce the impact of disasters – in addition to shoring up a community’s ability to rebound and adapt — can offer more “bang for the buck.”
  • Understand that resilience is not just about individual traumatic events or disasters. Communities also can be affected by, for example, a manufacturing plant closing, which leaves a large percentage of the population in a more vulnerable state.
  • Support efforts that are holistic in their approach. Back in 2012, Lucy Bernholz encouraged the philanthropic community to start listening for talk of resilient organizations rather than sustainability strategies. “Resilient leaders (and leadership) will be next,” she wrote in her blog, Philanthropy 2173. “Yes, it’s a buzzword. But with all the change taking place, and the uncertainty that comes with it, focusing on adaptability and bouncing back seems like a good idea. The word might become buzz, but the idea and capacity are the keys to evolution and survival.”
  • Encourage better collaboration between the academic community that wants to focus on research and the NGOs that can bring efforts to life. As the conversation about resilience continues to come to the forefront, support convenings, creative thinking and inclusive, holistic approaches. Achieving resilience requires action and funders can help by supporting efforts that lead to positive, enduring forward movement.
  • Invest in organizations that are building up resilience capacity. Look at what organizations are doing to create sustainability and reduce future risk, not just how they are solving the immediate crisis at hand.
  • Invest in leadership of local, grassroots, community organizers. Community organizing is making a comeback and philanthropy is showing its support for organizing that begins at the ground-up. Starting at the local level and involving a wide variety of players is a great strategy to build comprehensive, community resilence. Asset-based approaches recognize that there is untapped potential in many communities and organizing can help bring those strengths to the forefront.
  • Support core funding for your local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) network. Sometimes as Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COADs) these groups bring together disaster response organizations and help provide coordinated response. They are usually underfunded and need core, administrative support to do their best work. (See CDP’s VOAD Issue Insight or Playbook piece for more information).

Here are a few principles to keep in mind when funding resilience. Ensure your grant dollars are going to projects that are:

  • Sustainable over time, yet adaptable to future changes in for example, the region’s politics and economy. These things can all impact an NGO or a funder’s ability to continue engagements.
  • Contextual. “Resilience” is such a broad term that it can be applied in a variety of ways; consider what is relevant and responsive.
  • System-based and holistic. At the same time, responsibilities—and accountability—must be clear.
  • Inclusive and participatory. Multi-stakeholder resilience planning is the foundation of effective resilience building.
  • Consider vulnerabilities of people, incorporating both tangible and intangible elements of human behavior. Consider the impact of chronic stress through, for example, poverty in a community—and how that could impact that area’s ability to withstand a catastrophic event.

What Funders Are Doing

  • Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation gave in 2017 to Echo Youth and Family Services’ Ready2go Cockatoo program.  Ready2go Cockatoo is community-led disaster resilience program that supports people living independently in the Hills region of the Dandenong ranges who are unable to adequately safeguard against the effects of extreme heat & other emergencies. The program matches vulnerable residents with volunteer community members who can provide information, support an early relocation, prior to high-risk events, including visitation checks, especially in urban and peri–urban settings.
  • The Rockefeller Foundation gave $1 million in 2015 to BRAC USA Inc., to support providing subsidized financial services to poor and informally employed communities in Sierra Leone and Liberia in an effort to build resilience to the Ebola epidemic and to strengthen internal capacity to deliver services in periods of crisis.
  • The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust made multiple donations in 2015 and 2016 to World Vision, totaling over $2.5 million to support flood mitigation and community resilience in Amhara, Ethiopia.
  • In 2015, The Kresge Foundation gave the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy a $660,000 grant over three years to ensure that climate-resilience investments made by the City of Los Angeles are maximized and reach those communities most impacted by climate stressors such as extreme heat and drought
  • Beginning in 2017, the Latino Community Foundation co-designed with local Latino-serving community organizations impacted by the North Bay Fires in the San Francisco region to deploy $1.3 million to meet the immediate needs of Latino families, strengthen Latino-led nonprofits and build lasting community for a just and equitable recovery.

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Rural Populations

Overview

While “rural” is a concept that many people understand, there is no single accepted definition of what exactly rural is. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “’Rural’ encompasses all population, housing and territory not included within an urban area.” In this context, rural populations can be understood to be those living outside urbanized areas of 50,000 or more people and urban clusters of 2,500-50,000 people.


We can use the same definition to understand the challenges facing rural populations worldwide. Around the world, many people are moving from rural areas into urban areas, a process commonly known as rural-urban migration. The United Nations estimates that more people live in urban areas than rural since 2007, and the urban population is increasing faster than the rural population.

We often see narratives that portray rural living as idyllic and restful. However, rural populations often struggle with disaster response and recovery. FEMA uses a per capita indicator to create a baseline for financial assistance, and rural areas do not usually meet the minimum damage threshold because of their small population. Rural communities’ decentralized nature means fewer people are available to support response and recovery and are often a lower priority for infrastructure repair and restoration. Utility providers will typically prioritize an urban area with 50,000 people than a town of 500 or a village of 50.

Rural areas also have fewer resources in general to support the response to a disaster. While the Fire Department of New York has approximately 900 fire trucks and ambulances and a $2 billion budget, many rural fire departments operate with only one or two firetrucks and a single ambulance on a budget of whatever they can raise from the community.

The challenges facing rural communities during disasters became very apparent during 2017’s Starbuck Fire in Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas. When a downed powerline ignited a fire in dry prairie grass, the closest town was Slapout, Oklahoma (population: four). The local fire department, which includes residents from the surrounding area, responded with three trucks and eight firefighters. When they saw the size of the wind-driven fire, they immediately called for assistance – but none was available.

Rural communities often rely on mutual aid to fight large fires and to help each other during disasters. During the Starbuck Fire, every available resource was busy defending their towns, and none were available to help their neighbors. Although rural residents are often the first to pitch in and help during and after a disaster, as farmers and equipment operators did during the Starbuck Fire, they are often unequipped and unprepared for the dangers associated with disaster response.

Rural areas also take longer to recover after a disaster. The economy in many rural areas is dominated by only one or two economic drivers, with all other jobs being dependent on those primary employers. If a farming community loses its surrounding farms, it no longer requires feed and supply stores, schools, health care, retail or other supporting jobs. When a disaster wipes out a local economy, rural communities often do not have the tax base or financial reserves to recover.

Key Facts

  • Rural population numbers across the world are dropping. The percentage of the world’s population living in rural settings has dropped from 67% to 45% since 1960. Approximately 3.4 billion people globally live in rural areas as of 2019.
  • People living in rural areas have access to fewer disaster and emergency resources. According to the National Fire Protection Administration, 67% of firefighters and 82% of fire departments in the U.S. are volunteer or mostly volunteer. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff in rural areas are also significantly more likely to be volunteers.
  • Many disaster management staff in rural areas have multiple jobs. The Community Emergency Manager may also be the fire chief and owner of an essential business. As a result, rural communities may not have the same level of resources available to help manage a disaster as a city where there is a dedicated emergency management team.
  • Vulnerable people in rural locations are exponentially more at risk from disasters. Whether they are vulnerable because of circumstance (poverty, homelessness, addiction, etc.) or because of identities and other factors (race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), they do not have access to the same resources as those available in urban areas. During and after a disaster, the limited resources available are often exceeded by the need, leaving people more vulnerable as a result.
  • Rural areas are often temporary homes to undocumented people who do not have access to traditional recovery resources. As people migrate from rural areas into urban areas, temporary workers fill vacated essential jobs, especially in agricultural regions and those that host meatpacking plants. Many of these temporary workers are undocumented and work for low wages and no health care benefits. When a disaster strikes, these populations often do not have health and home insurance, and they typically do not qualify for FEMA assistance.

How to Help

  • Support the development of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs). FEMA’s CERT program trains community members to respond safely to disasters in their communities. These can be extremely valuable resources when outside help isn’t available.
  • Fund creative and innovative job programs in rural areas. A larger population base means more resources are available for prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Stable long-term jobs in rural areas will keep people employed and provide a larger tax base for disaster-related initiatives.
  • Find ways to support transient and temporary populations. When people do not have access to traditional supports because of residence or citizenship limitations, it becomes harder for them to recover. Working with organizations that serve those communities to support disaster preparedness and recovery will help ensure equitable recovery for everyone.
  • Focus on the needs of rural populations who are most vulnerable. Reducing the vulnerability of people, particularly in rural areas, will help increase their resilience towards disasters. Funding programs that help make people less vulnerable, particularly in housing, economics and health, are key. Less vulnerable people are better able to prepare for, withstand and recover from disasters.

What Funders Are Doing

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s (CDP) Midwest Early Recovery Fund has an explicit focus on low-attention disasters, particularly those in rural areas.

  • Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri received a $91,506 grant to hire two disaster case managers to help connect people in rural Missouri affected by the tornado and flooding in 2019 with the necessary social, economic and other resources.
  • Habitat for Humanity Iowa received a $50,000 grant to support the hiring of a construction manager in the areas affected by the 2020 Derecho. This construction manager helped train and lead a crew of volunteers responsible for completing roofing projects and managing other construction projects related to recovery from the Derecho.

 
Other examples of funding for rural populations in disasters include:

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Technology

Overview

Internet and mobile technology have changed the way we live. Technology is where we check for news, directions and weather, and it’s how we stay in touch with loved ones. With an estimated 5 billion mobile phone users worldwide, mobile communication is proving to be the most effective and efficient means of reaching and informing the public when disaster strikes. In the United States, the president can even send directives straight to users’ phones.

Other advances, including early warning systems for tsunamis and severe weather, are also making people safer. And non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the world are using the Internet to raise money to prevent disasters and provide relief after they have struck. These campaigns range from individual GoFundMe pages to companies like Google and Facebook that can solicit donations from their users when disaster strikes. Both companies turned to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy to administer donations, ensuring funds were directed to local organizations in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Just after the Boston Marathon bombings, people turned to their smartphones to let family and friends know they were okay, using apps like Life360. The Life360 cellphone app, lets users see family members’ locations and send text messages and emails to them.

Source: Facebook

Less than a year after the Boston bombings, Facebook launched Safety Check which allows people in disaster areas to alert friends and loved ones that they’re safe. Its first extensive use came in 2015 during earthquakes in Nepal, Pacific Hurricane Patricia and terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels; it has become an important source for reassuring friends and family after disasters hit.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires institutions of higher education to have mass communications systems in place. Colleges and universities across the nation provide text, email and voicemail alerts for their students, staff and faculty in cases of emergencies, campus closures and/or weather emergencies.

Nonprofits such as the American Red Cross have launched a series of apps, including ones notifying people of tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires. In addition, there are apps to help find a shelter, provide first aid and even sign up to volunteer. They are available for free in the Apple and Google app stores.

One looming challenge of a growing dependence on online tools during disasters is that mobile technology and the Internet could crash as they did during Hurricane Sandy. To address this issue and keep people safe, the nation’s wireless carriers partnered with the FCC and FEMA to launch Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). These emergency messages include weather events and local emergencies requiring evacuation or immediate action. The government first tested the program in October 2018 when President Donald Trump issued the first test alert. WEAs are similar in style to texts but use different technology that does not require a mobile carrier’s system to be operative in order to be received. Some even use voice messages through mobile devices in the event a phone is buried in a briefcase, backpack or handbag — or under a pile of rubble.

Source: FEMA

Key Facts

  • The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) gets significant spikes in website traffic as soon as a disaster hits the social networking or media spheres. “We know that people go to their online networks for information—to see if loved ones are safe, to identify needs and to take action,” says Regine A. Webster, vice president at CDP. “Technology has changed the disaster landscape, making information available to people immediately through social networks, and to contribute quickly.” Webster also shares a stark reminder that immediate giving is only part of the philanthropic giving puzzle– that most needs emerge within the weeks and months following a disaster. “I think the real power in the technology is helping people to get early warnings, to prepare, to get help and to reach loved ones.”
  • Mobile broadband is growing dramatically around the world. According to the International Telecommunication Union, there were 4.4 billion mobile broadband users at the end of 2018, up 1.1 billion from 2015.It is notable that there were fewer than 20 million fixed-line phones across Africa in 2000, but by 2012 there were nearly 650 million mobile phone subscriptions. Authorized government agencies can use WEA to send messages during a weather emergency to those within a targeted geographical area, unlike text messages, which are not “location aware.” For example, if a person with a WEA-capable device from Washington, D.C.  were in southern California when an earthquake occurred there, they would receive an “Imminent Threat Alert” on their device.
  • What began as a solution for one NGO evolved into a solution for the disaster management space. One backpack-sized device—the Network Relief Kit (NRK)—has altered the way NGOs communicate and collaborate during emergencies. Created with the work of Save the Children in focus, and developed in collaboration with Cisco and NetHope, the NRK today provides the field workers of dozens of NGOs with on-the-go broadband connectivity in remote regions so that when a catastrophic disaster strikes, responding NGOs can restore Internet access for responding organizations in a matter of days. This type of connectivity is critical for mobilizing resources, especially on an international scale. The easier it is for on-the-ground NGOs to communicate during disasters, the easier it is to reach those in need.

How to Help

  • Scale up new technology: Fund technologies that can help with slow-onset disasters such as software to improve feeding programs or devices to track water quality. There are many technologies under development that require investment to make them scalable.
  • Host a design competition: Foundations and government agencies around the world have sponsored competitions that have resulted in the development of new technologies, with funds supporting further development of the winning concepts.
  • Try out a handful of disaster apps: Using technology apps can keep donors connected during a disaster and will give them firsthand experience with understanding how your investment in technology can enhance disaster response. Connect with your grantees through the apps so that you can better support their work,should a disaster strike.
  • Support your grantees’ continuity plans: It is likely you have a business continuity plan in place; also ensure that your grantees are looking at technology such as mobile apps or Cloud support to protect their data in an emergency.
  • Consider investing in technology applications: Online and mobile technologies get a lot of the buzz, but there are a myriad of other technology applications in development worth consideration. Students, researchers and professional engineers alike are creating prototypes that are in market or being brought to market.
  • Offer support or a prize for a hackathon or app design competition: Unlike the devious hackers looking to release a virus or access personal information, participants in a hackathon work collaboratively to develop new software or hardware. Hackathons may last for a period of days and involve a range of tech professions, often creating solutions to challenges.

What Funders Are Doing

  • IBM Corporate Giving gave $750,000 after Hurricane Florence for nonprofits to create innovative technology for relief and resiliency.
  • In 2011, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation gave UC Berkeley a $2 million grant in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology and the University of Washington to analyze the concurrent seismic and GPS signals of recent large (M>7) earthquakes; develop finite-fault algorithms for rupture dynamics; and create the first system to produce real-time GPS displacement measurements at northern California monitoring sites. The resulting knowledge gained will contribute to the development of a west coast prototype earthquake early warning system capable of providing robust advance warning– ranging from tens of seconds to minutes — of the size, extent and timing of imminent earthquakes
  • In 2016, the New York Community Trust gave Global Kids Inc. a $20,000 grant to help teens develop technology-driven disaster preparedness and response strategies.

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Tornadoes

Overview

There are approximately 1,000 to 1,200 tornadoes a year in the United States. Known as “nature’s most violent storms,” the U.S. is home to more tornadoes than any other country in the world. A decidedly American phenomenon, every state averages at least one twister per year. Typically, tornadoes kill about 60 Americans, injure 1,500 and cause at least $400 million in economic damage in the U.S. annually.

The National Weather Service defines tornadoes as “a violently rotating column of air touching the ground, usually attached to the base of a thunderstorm.” They are created when cold, dry air combines with warm, humid air producing a thunderstorm as the colder air pushes over the warmer air. As the warm air begins to rise it creates an updraft. Any thunderstorm is capable of developing a tornado, but the most severe twisters are created inside supercell thunderstorms, which are defined by a rotating updraft. This rotation pulls in warmer air causing its rotation speed to increase. This is met by the cooler air which creates energy within the storm.

They are measured using the Enhanced Fujita Scale which rates tornadoes from EF0 to EF5. Scales are determined by the National Weather Service after a tornado based on the amount of damage viewed on the ground. This helps investigators estimate the highest approximate wind speed that was sustained for at least a three second gust. This system is based on the Fujita Scale originated by Dr. T, Theodore Fujita, in 1971. An EF0 tornado includes winds of 65-85 miles per hour while an EF5 includes winds more than 200 miles per hour. An EF1 may topple trees and billboards while the EF5 will move a strong-frame home from its foundation and carry it some distance.

During a 15-day stretch in May 2019, nearly 500 tornadoes were reported across the Great Plains, Midwest and western states like Idaho and Colorado. The twisters destroyed homes, uprooted trees, killed several people and injured more than 100. The stretch was part of the most active season since 2011, which was particularly devastating, with 1,782 tornadoes claiming 549 lives. A so-called “Super Outbreak” April 25-28, 2011 alone caused 324 deaths, or more than half of that year’s twister-related fatalities. The outbreak spawned 360 tornadoes across 21 states from Texas to New York, with Alabama and Mississippi being severely affected.

“Tornado Alley” is a swath of the country that stretches from Texas to eastern South Dakota in the north, and from Kansas west to eastern Colorado. Tornado season begins in early spring as warm air from the Gulf of Mexico pushes north and collides with cool air off the Rocky Mountains and Canada.

Forecasters issue watches for storms capable of producing tornadoes, and later update with a warning if a twister is spotted on the ground or indicated by radar. Tornado forecasting technology has increased the average warning time to 14 minutes notice, from just a few minutes in the 1980s, but a high number of false warnings has led to a general public that may not act in time to mitigate damage and destruction. Also, a particular storm may not produce a tornado that makes contact with the ground and/or the funnel may hit an area without homes, damaging only trees.

Most tornado deaths are caused by flying debris, which is why people are advised to go to a basement or an interior room in the home if one is approaching. People who live in mobile homes are advised to seek shelter underground or in a permanent building. The National Weather Service says historically about 40 percent of all tornado deaths occur in mobile homes.

Key Facts

  • Tornadoes tend to follow a fairly set pattern, though aberrations do occur. They typically move from the southwest to the northeast, though they have been reported in all directions. Most tornadoes occur between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., though they have occurred in all parts of the day.
  • For those who live in the most tornado-prone areas, an understanding of the way tornadoes “usually” occur may lead to complacency. In addition, many myths about tornado safety have not been replaced with facts, leading to confusion. Valuable time often is wasted when those in the path of the storm should be seeking shelter instead. For example, it is a common myth that  a vehicle can outrun a tornado or drivers should hide under an overpass. The fact is that people should be looking for a nearby building or getting out of their cars and into a low-lying ditch.
  • In early 2012, the National Weather Service released a new tornado warning system, designed to overcome the delays that occurred during the Joplin, Missouri tornadoes. During that outbreak, a study found that a majority of residents did not heed the first warning but looked for additional confirmation. The new system includes a standard tornado warning; a potentially dangerous situation tornado warning, meaning that one has been spotted on the ground; and a tornado emergency, which means that a large tornado is on the ground and headed towards a populated area.
  • Know where you live. The NWS issues Tornado Warnings that are polygon-based and may include an entire county or portions of several counties. During the 2019 spring outbreaks, meteorologist James Spann bemoaned the fact that many people could not pick out their area on a multi-county map without much detail.

How to Help

Donors hoping to mitigate the effects of future tornadoes and provide long-term recovery solutions could:

  • Support improving the accuracy of prediction and warning systems. Though many improvements have been made, tornadoes remain difficult to predict. Improved warning systems, such as those that call a home or wireless phone, are more reliable than warning sirens.  FEMA introduced the Wireless Emergency Alert system, which allows text messages to be delivered via wireless phones in the event of an emergency. The National Weather Service can send severe weather alerts during a tornado.
  • Help fund informational programs for those living in the most vulnerable areas. Some simple steps, such as anchoring manufactured homes to concrete foundations or reinforcing garage doors, can help a structure withstand a tornado. However, overcoming misinformation related to tornadoes is also Myths, like seeking shelter under an overpass, related to tornadoes must be debunked.
  • Fund research into improved structures. In the areas most vulnerable to tornadoes, codes are aimed at building homes to withstand winds of 80 miles per hour, roughly equivalent to an EF0 tornado. Improved building methods could help many structures stand, reducing future death and destruction.
  • Encourage individual preparation plans, even at the family/business level. Each family member should know where to go in the house during a tornado warning, as well as how to understand community warning systems (sirens, texts, etc.). Homes also should be equipped with crank-style radios. Diseased and damaged tree limbs should be removed and in preparation for coming storm, lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants and other items that might become projectiles should be secured. In addition, simple low-cost solutions such as hurricane clips in the rafters can help reduce damage. For businesses, each employee should know where to seek shelter and how to secure hazardous materials onsite. A plan should be in place to account for the whereabouts of all personnel, as well as methods of protecting workers during and immediately after the storm.
  • In the immediate aftermath of a devastating tornado, needs often are met by an outpouring of response, but full recovery can take years. Tornadoes do not discriminate, leveling government buildings, businesses and homes. When schools are damaged, particularly in small communities, life cannot return to normal. When businesses are damaged, the community’s economy suffers. Long-term recovery efforts must focus on creating a plan to minimize future damage, such as strengthening buildings and building codes, helping disadvantaged populations to receive legal aid to navigate FEMA rules and providing low-interest loans to small businesses.

What Funders Are Doing

  • Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Midwest Early Recovery Fund focuses on low-attention disasters that do not receive a FEMA federal disaster declaration. It has funded recovery efforts for 11 tornadoes (one each in Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri and Iowa, two in Kansas, and five in Oklahoma). Tornado funding from the Fundis $411, 401, which equates to 13.4 percent of grant dollars distributed by the fund. A few examples of CDP tornado grants include:

– United Way of the Flint Hills received $3,000 to support reconstruction management and volunteer coordination in response the EF3 tornado that tore through Eureka, Kansas in June 2018, damaging 78 homes.

– Center Associates received a $65,000 ERF grant following an EF3 tornado which devastated Marshalltown, Iowa in July 2018. The grant funded outpatient mental health services for children of all ages in tornado-affected areas and schools, including an equine therapy program.

– Child Care Aware of Minnesota received a $25,000 grant following a tornado in Morristown, Minnesota to help day care providers recovering from disasters in Minnesota.

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Transportation

Overview

The transportation system is responsible for the movement of goods and people from one point to another. Far more than just “planes, trains and automobiles,” the transportation system includes all vehicles including ships and transport trucks, infrastructure such as roads, railways and bridges, and the governance and support services necessary to keep the transportation system operating safely and efficiently.

New York Guard soldiers prepare donations of relief supplies for shipment to Puerto Rico. (Source: New York National Guard/Cpt Mark Getman; CC BY-ND 2.0)

During a disaster, the transportation system is one of the most important components of the critical infrastructure and services. Without the transportation system, there is no way to move people out of harm’s way or to bring responders and aid into the affected area. Whether by road, rail, ship or plane the transportation system bears a massive responsibility during an emergency or disaster.

Funding for transportation is not often at the top of the list when considering needs before, during and after disasters. Ensuring the operation of transportation infrastructure and systems is essential to getting supplies to the areas they are needed the most, particularly in making it through the “last mile” from the warehouse or shipping depot to the end user. Transportation systems are also vital to moving first responders and resources into the affected area and moving evacuees and victims out of the area. Key to recovery efforts, the rapid restoration of the transportation systems and infrastructure expedites the delivery of necessary supplies after a disaster.

In developed countries, the concept of transportation likely brings to mind vehicles that run on some type of external power source, whether it be a petroleum product like gasoline or diesel, or an alternative source like electricity or solar energy. Transportation in still-developing countries is much more likely to fall into the category of “active transportation,” that is transportation powered by humans. While more “green” transportation options are becoming available, they are primarily limited to developed countries, leaving still-developing countries to rely on more carbon-intensive and less efficient forms of transportation.

Images of highways packed with vehicles attempting to escape from an impending disaster have become commonplace in many developed countries. These scenes provide an excellent example of the challenges of evacuating large numbers of people from an urban area using privately owned vehicles. Large-scale evacuations can exceed the safe capacity of road infrastructure many times over, requiring them to handle double or triple the amount of traffic for which they were designed.

Vehicles attempting to flee from the Horse Fire in Fort McMurray, Canada. (Credit: DarrenRD/CC BY-SA)

Evacuations in still-developing countries often suffer from the opposite problem, not having enough transportation to move all of the population at risk. This leads to some people having to evacuate on foot, or choosing not to evacuate at all.

In both developed and still-developing countries, vulnerable populations are often left out of emergency transportation plans either because they are not considered as part of the process, or because there are not enough accessible resources to safely transport all vulnerable individuals.

Disasters can also wreak havoc on transportation infrastructure in locations all over the world. Recent disasters have seen bridges washed away and rail beds undermined by floods, highways and airports damaged in earthquakes, electric trains stranded for hours because of power outages, and ports damaged by explosions, tsunamis and hurricanes.

Key Facts

  • There are 17,678 commercial airports in the world, and just 26 of those in only 15 countries were responsible for moving approximately 1.5 billion people and 51 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2018. In 2013, the United States had more than 13,000 airports (both commercial and general use) while Barbados only has a single airport.
  • There are thousands of ports in the world, but more than 99 percent of global trade moves through just 835 of them. In 2018, more than 11 billion tons of international freight were shipped by sea.
  • According to the International Union of Railways, there are more than 683,506 miles (1.1 million kilometers) of rail in the world, responsible for moving 2.4 trillion passenger miles (3.9 trillion passenger kilometers) and 7 trillion freight tons annually.
  • There are approximately 40 million miles (64 million kilometers) of roadway in the world.
  • In 2018, Americans took 9.9 billion public transportation trips on a variety of vehicle types: buses, light rail, subways, commuter trains, streetcars and trolleys, cable cars, van pool services, ferries and water taxis, paratransit services, and monorails and tramways.
  • According to the 2017 National Household Travel Survey, Americans took almost 300 billion private vehicle trips in 2017 – approximately 30 times the number of trips taken by public transportation.
  • During Typhoon Morakot (known in the Philippines as Typhoon Kiko) in 2009, more than 373 miles (600 kilometers) of highway and 196 bridges were damaged or destroyed in Taiwan.
  • The complex hub and spoke model of transportation for both people and goods increase the disaster-related impacts in one area (a hub) causing severe issues in other areas (the spokes).
  • The transition to just-in-time delivery in critical sectors such as healthcare, food and nutrition, and manufacturing leaves those areas vulnerable to disruptions because of disasters in other places.
  • Whether people and goods are being moved by plane, train or ship they all depend on roads for the “last mile” between the transportation hub (airport, train station or port) and their final destination. While long-distance transportation is less likely to be affected by major disasters, the challenge in many locations is to move goods and people from long-distance transportation hubs to affected people. For example, while goods may be able to reach a train yard, if local road infrastructure and systems are damaged or destroyed, it becomes impossible to move those goods from the train yard to a distribution point.

How to Help

  • Choose grantees who are pursuing projects that benefit the majority of a population, such as public transit or infrastructure. Allow for increased quantities of people and cargo to move in safer ways by funding public bridge construction or improving the resilience of existing infrastructure to better resist damage from disasters.
  • Fund projects that support increased numbers of people and cargo in vehicles as opposed to increased numbers of vehicles. Moving larger quantities of people and cargo will reduce congestion and increase efficiency during emergencies and disasters when it matters most.
  • Offer corporate resources (when available) to support the evacuation, relocation and return home of people who are threatened by or experiencing a disaster. Many large corporations have access to transportation options such as private jets, buses or other transportation resources that they can make available to support an emergency or disaster at low- or no-cost.
  • Focus on transportation access for vulnerable and marginalized people, particularly those living in poverty, with disabilities and functional needs, and who may be experiencing homelessness. Vulnerable and marginalized people are less likely to have access to private forms of transportation such as personal vehicles, or rely on limited transportation resources such as accessible public transit.
  • Develop infrastructure loan programs. These could help rural or small communities redevelop critical transportation infrastructure quickly. They could later be financed by a capital bond levy.

What Funders Are Doing

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UN IASC Cluster Approach

Overview

The United Nations (UN) uses a multi-pronged Cluster Approach to coordinate humanitarian and emergency relief for disasters. By dividing the disaster response into clusters, the UN supports the work of humanitarian organizations based on activity instead of organization. In this way, different parts of the same organization can respond based on the work they are doing and coordinate with other organizations providing the same support. The UN describes them: “Clusters are groups of humanitarian organizations, both UN and non-UN, in each of the main sectors of humanitarian action, e.g. water, health and logistics. They are designated by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and have clear responsibilities for coordination.”

Source: Humanitarian Response

There are 11 clusters, each with their own lead organizations, that are responsible for all phases of disaster response from prevention to reconstruction:

  • Camp Coordination and Camp Management: International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
  • Early Recovery: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
  • Education: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children.
  • Emergency Telecommunications: World Food Programme (WFP)
  • Food Security: World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  • Health: World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Logistics: World Food Programme (WFP)
  • Nutrition: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
  • Protection: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  • Shelter: International Foundation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

 
The overall coordination at the national level is led by a humanitarian coordinator who serves as both the oversight and the information conduit to report back to the IASC on country-level updates.

The Cluster Approach provides a coordinated response to disasters and emergencies by area of functional work instead of by organization. By facilitating information sharing and coordination between organizations involved in the same areas of work, the Cluster Approach reduces duplication of services and enables clear and concise communications based around those functional areas.

Key Facts

  • The Cluster Approach was applied for the first time after the 2005 Pakistan earthquake with nine clusters. It has since been evaluated, refined and focused to include the current 11 clusters.
  • Clusters are only activated for emergencies not involving refugees, such as natural disasters. Incidents involving refugees are managed using the United Nations Refugee Coordination Model, a separate model specifically designed for emergencies involving refugees. Together, the Cluster Approach and the Refugee Coordination Model make up the United Nation’s International Coordination Architecture.
  • The UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs leads the IASC and is designated as the UN Emergency Response Coordinator and is responsible for overseeing all emergencies requiring UN Humanitarian and Emergency Response.
  • The Cluster Approach allows for a vertically and horizontally integrated approach to humanitarian and emergency response. This allows for coordination from the grassroots level all the way up to the global level, as well as across clusters to ensure that gaps are filled and that responses are coordinated to eliminate duplication.

How to Help

  • Support the ongoing use of the Cluster Approach by providing continued stable funding to the UN, coordinating UN agencies and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
  • Ensure nongovernmental and governmental response organizations are able to integrate their incident and response management structures with the Cluster Approach in areas where they are operating.

What Funders Are Doing

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Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Overview

Water is one of the most necessary elements for life, yet according to the World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF, 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water. In addition, 4.5 billion people lack safely-managed sanitation facilities. Unsafe drinking water and poor hygiene can lead to diarrheal diseases that can slow the absorption of nutrients, hindering children’s development. WHO/UNICEF estimate 2,200 children die of these diseases each day.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the situation is worsening. Water quality worldwide is declining, threatening the health of ecosystems throughout the environment. The decline may be influenced by population growth, urbanization, land use, industrial discharge of chemicals and global climate change.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) principles are of tremendous concern in everyday life, but can be heightened during an emergency or disaster. With systems potentially damaged, access to water can be quite limited. Sanitation often comes to the forefront when displaced persons live in camps—especially overcrowded ones. WASH issues are multi-faceted even in the best of times. Access to water is a consideration, but so too is the quality of the water. Sanitation challenges may be vastly different in urban and rural areas across countries. And even more developed nations are not immune from disease spread by poor hygiene practices.

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals includes Goal 6: “Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.” It recognizes the important of clean and accessible water for everyone and the challenges in getting to that goal. The UN says, “Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihood choices and educational opportunities for poor families across the world…To improve sanitation and access to drinking water, there needs to be increased investment in management of freshwater ecosystems and sanitation facilities on a local level in several developing countries within Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, Southern Asia, Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia.”


The Goal 6 targets are:

  • 6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
  • 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
  • 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
  • 6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
  • 6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
  • 6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
  • 6.A By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programs, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
  • 6.B Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

Key Facts

  • Deteriorating water quality threatens global gains made in improving access to drinking water. Between 1990 and 2000, more than 2 billion people gained access to improved water sources. Even if the water is safe at the originating source, it may be contaminated by the time it is consumed in households.
  • Poor WASH procedures are only compounded in a disaster. Communities without access to water have even less in the aftermath of a large-scale disaster. Sanitation issues can be increased by large populations living in close quarters. As more disasters hit urban areas, the demands on urban water treatment facilities may be stretched to their limits. As urban disasters are a relatively new phenomenon, there may not be the capacity or resources to deal with WASH issues in heavily populated areas. A cholera outbreak in Haiti, in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake, sickened more than 470,000 Haitians and killed 7,000. According to WHO, there are approximately three to five million cholera cases annually and 100,000 to 120,000 deaths.
  • Refugees are particularly at risk for poor WASH practices. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that half of the refugee camps around the world cannot provide the minimum daily requirements for water (20 liters per person per day), while nearly a third lack adequate waste and latrine facilities. In September 2012, for example, an outbreak of hepatitis E killed 16 refugees in three camps in South Sudan; the outbreak was traced to unsafe drinking water. It is important to note too that lack of private water and sanitation facilities increases children’s and women’s risk of sexual and gender-based violence.
  • Lack of access to water leads to a high educational drop-out rate for girls. In some communities, household chores such as gathering water or garbage disposal fall to the young women in the family, preventing them from attending school. Providing water closer to home frees up a girl’s time for education, improving her chances for future success. Girls and women are also more impacted than boys and men by the lack of safe and accessible
  • Lack of access to WASH impacts death rates. Diarrheal diseases are responsible for over 40 percent of deaths in the acute emergency phase of a humanitarian crisis. They are the leading cause by far (at 80 percent) of deaths in children under the age of two.
  • We are in the Water Action Decade! In Dec. 2016, the UN Member States adopted United Nations General Assembly resolution 71/222 on an International Decade for Action on ‘Water for Sustainable Development’ 2018-2028. The Water Action Decade began on Mar. 22, 2018 World Water Day. The three objectives, as laid out in the Secretary-General’s Plan are: 1) advance sustainable development 2) energize implementation of existing programs and projects and 3) mobilize action to achieve the 2030 Agenda. There will be a midterm review in March 2023 in New York to coincide with World Water Day.

How To Help

  • Fund programs that develop and promote water conservation around the world. Safe and plentiful water is threatened by global climate change. Increased demand and changing climate patterns have combined to drain rivers. Pollution threatens the quality of what remains. Water shortages have become a problem even in some parts of the U.S.
  • Strengthen operations and maintenance issues related to reliable water supply. Some countries in sub-Saharan Africa have water, but about one-third of water systems there are non-operational at any given time.
  • Target water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs in schools in Global South communities (formerly referred to as developing nations). Children are eager to learn and healthy hygiene habits can last a lifetime. In addition, poor sanitary conditions contribute to high rates of illness and absenteeism.
  • Undertake vulnerability assessments of community water and sanitation systems. Providing water in a disaster is vital to preventing the spread of disease and helping the community recover. In addition, the disaster itself may threaten water supplies, such as contaminants brought in by floods, or water requirements needed to combat fires as a result of earthquakes.
  • Fund unique and innovative challenges. For example, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hosted “Reinvent the Toilet” challenges and expos in China and India.

What Funders Are Doing

  • The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has been funding activities to improve access to safe drinking water in low-resource settings of Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico and India for over 25 years. In 2011, they set a goal of providing safe drinking water to one million people—primarily among the poorest in Africa, Mexico and India–over the next five years in a $50 million initiative. In 2016, Hilton’s board approved a five-year Safe Water strategy. For example, in 2015 Hilton awarded WaterAid America $150,000 to support the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for the survivors of the Nepal earthquake.
  • In 2016, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided $400,000 to CARE USA to provide critical water, sanitation and hygiene support to populations most affected by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.
  • The National Community Lottery Fund (formerly the Big Lottery Fund) provided WaterAid with $597,321 in 2012 to respond to the need for climate resilient access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in the Koyra Upazila of Khulna district in Bangladesh. The proposed interventions address the three key issues that have exacerbated the impacts of cyclone flooding events in Bangladesh that remain barriers to improving peoples’ long-term welfare.

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Wildfires

Wildfires have scorched an average of almost 6.2 million acres from 2006 to 2016, mostly in the western United States, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. In 2017, the acres charred nearly doubled, with about 10 million acres burned in nearly 60,000 fires. Kansas, Montana and California all saw near record blazes and 2017 was the second most active year for wildfires on record (the most active was 2007). In 2018, the numbers improved only slightly to 58,000 fires and 8.8 million acres burned but includes the deadliest fire in California history, the Camp Fire, which started Nov. 8 and killed at least 88 people and destroyed about 14,000 homes and more than 500 commercial structures.

Damage in a Paradise, California neighborhood following the 2018 Camp Fire. The blaze is the deadliest to ever hit the state, killing at least 88 people and burning more than 18,000 structures. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Crystal Housman; CC BY 2.0)

Wildfires create additional issues beyond the destruction of property:

 
Weather can significantly affect the frequency and severity of wildfires. Prolonged drought can extend prime wildfire season, making blazes more likely. Additionally, high temperatures and low humidity can quickly dry out vegetation which then becomes potential fuel.

Federal, state and local governments are responsible for wildfire prevention and suppression in the United States. The federal government spent more than $2 billion putting out fires in 2017, making it the most expensive year on record. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can tap emergency funds for hurricane or tornado response, but the U.S. Forest Service has to use other program budgets – including fire prevention – if it runs out of firefighting funds.

Currently, the U.S. Forest Service’s fire suppression efforts are funded based on a 10-year rolling average. That means the Forest Service has to use money budgeted for fire prevention and other department activities to fight wildfires. Fire suppression needs have grown from about 20 percent of the Forest Service’s budget to more than 55 percent during the last 20 years. Several leaders in the Forest Service, USDA and U.S. Rural Development have asked Congress to use emergency funding appropriations for wildfire suppression, as it does for other disasters.

Key Facts

Humans cause nearly 85 percent of wildland fires through unattended campfires, burning of debris and agricultural land, electrical lines and arson.

One exacerbating factor in the growth of wildfires is an increasing wildland-urban interface or human development near wild lands. The expanding interface not only makes human-caused wildfires more likely, it has the potential to make fires both more damaging and deadly.

FEMA provides Fire Management Assistance Grants to state, local and tribal governments for the mitigation, management and control of fires. The grants award 75 percent of the need and require the states to fund the remaining 25 percent. In some cases, this is a significant burden to state budgets. Eligible firefighting costs may include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies as well as mobilization and demobilization activities.

State and local governments spend an additional $2 billion per year on fire prevention and suppression activities. U.S. Rural Development and USDA are also very involved in fire recovery, particularly when the blaze affects rural areas.

How to Help

To support the recovery efforts for the fires in California, please donate to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s (CDP) California Wildfires Recovery Fund.

To bring relief to fire-ravaged areas for the immediate future and for long-term prevention and recovery efforts, donors could:

  • Award loans and grants for rebuilding damaged homes and businesses. Currently, through the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, there is a $2 million cap on disaster loans for businesses or private, nonprofit organizations. That amount may not cover what is needed and monies that are allocated may be slow to arrive.
  • Support local agencies on the ground throughout the disaster life cycle, especially ones that work with vulnerable populations. Those in already precarious situations—such as the elderly, sick, undocumented and mixed status families and people living in poverty—may find their circumstances worsened in the face of disaster. Mental health providers, food banks and organizations working with children or the elderly, for example, must have plans in place to mitigate the disaster’s impacts.
  • Fund drought mitigation efforts. These may focus on sustainable agriculture, water conservation or even land use. An emerging area for research, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center, is land-use patterns that “maintain the integrity of watersheds and that have a smaller paved footprint result in greater resilience in the face of drought.”
  • Invest in public awareness and educational campaigns as well as dissemination of promising practices in wildfire and drought mitigation. Simple efforts such as clearing flammable materials from 100 feet around the house may help prevent property damage,. Fires can also be started by misuse of equipment such as grills, that can be averted with proper knowledge.
  • Assist businesses in developing business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR) plans to reduce economic impact. These plans should include contingencies for displaced workers, back up of data and alternate facilities for continuing operations in the event of property damage.
  • Consider the needs of volunteer fire departments. As volunteers, they often lack the structural support of larger departments and their resources may have been depleted during the wildfire.
  • Support the creation of “smart growth” efforts. Smart planning can help mitigate wildfires or prevent them altogether.

What Funders Are Doing

Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), through the Midwest Early Recovery Fund, gave:

 
To support recovery from the 2017 Northern California wildfires, CDP awarded:

  • A $38,430 grant to Abode Services to support the rapid rehousing of 40 families and individuals rendered homeless by the wildfires.
  • A $100,000 grants to Internews Network to support the development of a two-way conversation between the Latino community and local government, media, and nonprofit organizations in Sonoma County.
  • A grant of $25,000 to On The Move to support fire-affected families for at least six months with emergency financial assistance and comprehensive case management.
  • A $15,000 grant to UpValley Family Centers to support 450 low-income individuals, immigrants, seniors and families with children who live or work in Napa County.

 
In 2018, CDP launched the CDP California Wildfires Recovery Fund to support recovery efforts in California following the devastating impacts from the Camp, Woolsey and Hill wildfires. The following seven grants were awarded from the fund:

  • $250,000 to Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) to support the reconstruction of affordable multi-family housing in Paradise destroyed by the Camp Fire.
  • $500,000 to Butte County Office of Education’s Response and Recovery Project to support expanded mental health outreach, assistance and services for school-aged children and their families across Butte County.
  • $250,000 to the Workforce Housing Project to establish temporary housing for displaced individuals and families trying to maintain their livelihoods in Paradise and surrounding communities destroyed by the fire.
  • $30,000 to Disaster Leadership Team to continue providing direct mentorship support to the Camp Fire Long Term Recovery Group and Los Angeles Region Long Term Recovery Group.
  • $114,656 to Camp Fire Long Term Recovery Group to support their Camp Fire Resource Center which will become the “storefront” for community recovery resources, services and assistance for the entire county.
  • $250,000 to Ventura County Community Foundation to support local nonprofits providing housing and/or mental health support or services in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
  • $143,140 to United Policyholders to scale-up their Roadmap to Recovery program in Los Angeles and Ventura counties in addition to increasing available resources for wildfire recovery in the housing sector in southern California.

 
In 2019, CDP launched the CDP 2019 California Wildfires Recovery Fund to address the overwhelming impact of the Kincade Fire. The following six grants were awarded from the fund:

 
The Howard G. Buffet Foundation gave $1 million in 2017 to the Working Ranch Cowboys Foundation to assist ranchers affected by wildfires across the Southwest and Great Plains.

In 2017, the James Irvine Foundation gave $750,000 to support medium- and long-term rebuilding efforts for Latino immigrant families and farmworker communities affected by California wildfires. The money focused on supporting low-income immigrant families in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino and Lake counties.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation gave $925,000 to the Bay Area Council Foundation in 2018 to provide data, research, analysis and other technical support for rebuilding, recovery and the allocation of disaster recovery resources.

The Wal-Mart Foundation, in 2018, gave $1 million to the North Valley Community Foundation to support wildfire relief efforts and help address the increased needs of the local homeless population affected by the Camp Fire.

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Women and Girls in Disasters

Overview

Pre-existing, structural gender inequalities mean that disasters affect women and girls in different ways than they affect boys and men. The vulnerability of females increases when they are in a lower socioeconomic group, particularly in the Global South. This vulnerability impacts preparedness, evacuation, response, number of deaths and recovery. The reasons for this vulnerability can often be traced to the roles females hold in society and existing gender and cultural norms where they live. This can include the duties women and girls carry out, the clothing they wear, the way they expected to behave, etc.

Cyclone Idai aftermath in Mozambique. (Photo by Denis Onyodi: IFRC/DRK/Climate Centre; CC BY 2.0)

This vulnerability is also part of the intersectional nature of the gendered impact of disasters. For example, women and girls of color in the U.S. tend to have higher rates of poverty, greater challenges accessing health care, reduced access to education and employment opportunities (and lower wages when they do find work). They often live in female-led households and are more likely to be tenants than homeowners.

Before a disaster, women and girls usually have the primary responsibility for caring for a home and the people in it including children, older family members and people with disabilities. Their caregiving responsibilities may prevent their ability to evacuate. About 80 percent of the people left in New Orleans after the mandatory evacuation was issued were women, despite representing only 54 percent of the population of the city. After a disaster, women will likely be responsible for caring for the sick and injured while still maintaining their daily chores. And if the main breadwinner is killed during the disaster, women often need to seek outside employment and, especially in an international context, girls are pulled from school to take care of the household.

In all countries, violence against women and girls is a factor post-disaster. Sexual assaults, physical abuse and human trafficking increase after a disaster. From an Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) perspective, this often stems from stress due to financial concerns, disaster-trauma heightened mental health issues, increased substance use, etc. Sexual violence may occur in crowded housing situations (e.g. against or by a host family member). Stress is exacerbated in crowded shelters or temporary housing which may lead to aggressive behavior, including sexual aggression. In war-torn areas – including refugee encampments and internally displaced persons camps – sexual violence is often seen as a means of control of the population.

In cultural communities that require modest clothing, women and girls may find it harder to run away from danger (i.e. an approaching tsunami or a collapsed building) because of the barriers their clothing may create. Additionally, modest dress and/or cultural norms may mean females engage in different cultural and recreational activities. This could mean girls may not be taught how to swim or to climb trees. This creates barriers that make it difficult to take care of themselves when trying to survive flooding.

During recovery, women and girls may have to work harder to carry out the functions of daily living for their families. This can include lining up for relief supplies, having to travel farther to access water or cooking in challenging conditions. These activities often happen during the day, limiting the access women and girls have to education or outside employment.

Key Facts

  • In some disasters, there is a distinct disparity in deaths between women and men. Researchers have found that, “61 percent of fatalities in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis in 2008, 70 percent after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Banda Aceh, and 91 percent after Cyclone Gorky in Bangladesh in 1991” were women. However, when economic and social rights are more equally distributed between men and women, researchers have discovered that the death rates are also more equal. There was negligible difference between female and male death rates after Hurricane Katrina; age was a much more significant factor.
  • During and after a disaster there is often a delay in reporting of sexual violence. This stems from a number of reasons, including victims focusing on basic recovery versus reporting and lack of access to or existence of support services (health clinics, rape counseling services, domestic violence shelters etc.)
  • Pregnancy and childbirth make women particularly vulnerable after a disaster. Reproductive health services for expectant and nursing mothers are important in evacuation and post-disaster shelters.After Typhoon Haiyan it was discovered that more than 230,000 pregnant women were affected by the typhoon. Ten days after the disaster, the United Nations Population Fund reported that nearly 900 women were giving birth each day, with around 130 likely to experience potentially life-threatening complications.
  • Building women’s empowerment and including women in disaster planning creates resilience. Women can help identify disaster risks for themselves and for girls that may not be understood by male planners. They can also help build security for their families, including increased income or awareness of personal preparedness and health.
  • Including women in recovery helps reduce stereotypes and discrimination about women’s roles. After the earthquake in Ecuador in 2016, the UN Volunteers coordinated programs to increase women’s involvement in running of camps; traditionally these are male-dominated spaces. This helped reduce violence and gave women more control over their space. They also helped by designing “small projects aimed at changing traditional gender roles and improving women’s participation, which led to women engaging in non-traditional activities such as cash-for-work initiatives and the removal of debris.” Women also got involved in the construction industry.

How to Help

  • Provide funding for programs specifically for women and girls. Gender-specific programming that addresses their unique needs, and is culturally-competent, helps build their resilience. While programs do not necessarily need to be women and girls only, they do need to have a very clear focus on gender-based needs.
  • Fund activities for women and girls in advance of a disaster to help build resiliency and self-sufficiency. In Togo and other African countries, women gather in a “Mother’s Club”. This is a group of 20 women who live close together. They are trained “in the field of maternal and child health, hygiene and environmental sanitation, nutrition and the creation of income-generating activities.”
  • Provide clear energy options when rebuilding homes. According to the World Health Organization, “around 3 billion people cook using polluting open fires or simple stoves fueled by kerosene, biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. Each year, close to 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to household air pollution…” Women and children are the most affected by this because of the division of household labor.
  • Fund gender-disaggregated data studies. To understand the needs of women and/or girls it is important that gender is considered when conducting research. All phases of disasters affect women differently and learning more about these impacts can lead to better solutions.
  • Provide funding to support sexual and intimate partner violence resources inside and outside of the disaster zone. It is important to also focus on evacuation zones or areas of resettlement after a major disaster. For example, training and support should be provided to encourage police officers in evacuation centers to take reports of victims from other jurisdictions.
  • Fund reproductive rights including family planning, doulas/midwives and other culturally appropriate birthing supports. CDP, as outlined in the What Funders Are Doing section, provided specific grants to support pregnant women and the services that support them. This led to a decrease in infant and maternal mortality and morbidity.
  • Support funding for permanently affordable housing for single-parent led households. Housing is a fast way to help families recover. While single-parent led households could be male-led, statistically they are more likely to be female-led. Building in affordability also addresses income disparities that exist for women.

What Funders Are Doing

– All Hands Volunteers received $100,000 to rebuild earthquake-devastated schools with a total enrollment of 1,667 students in Nepal’s Nuwakot District, where nearly 90 percent of the schools were destroyed. (As noted in the Issue Insight on Education, disasters have a significant impact on education, especially for girls.)

– Plan International USA received $219,690 to fund its Fighting Against Child Trafficking in Emergencies (FACTE) Project in Nepal.

– Shakti Samuha received $61,264 to reduce vulnerability to human trafficking and other kinds of violence by providing income-generation skills and educational support for women and children in the districts of Sindupalchowk, Ramechhap and Sindhuli.

– Direct Relief worked to ensure safe newborn deliveries in the Philippines by equipping midwives with essential supplies to ensure safe births among typhoon-affected populations, including distributing midwife kits to 100 trained and skilled midwives working in local health centers throughout remote regions in the Philippines.

– Mercy in Action rebuilt a birthing center in Tanauan that was devastated by the typhoon to help bring a trusted birth center, run by licensed Filipina midwives, back to the community.

– Save the Children used its CDP Typhoon Haiyan funds to improve access to clean birthing supplies and materials in typhoon-affected communities and communities at risk of such disasters. The organization sourced and distributed Birthing Essentials and Care of Newborns (BEACON) boxes to prevent excess maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

  • In 2018, C&A Foundation gave CARE USA in Bangladesh a $572,774 grant to protect refugee women and girls from gender-based violence and build their resilience.
  • The GiveWell Community Foundation Inc. gave a $7,449 grant in 2018 to the Women’s Resource Center of Florida (WRC) for Hurricane Irma relief. WRC works to assist low income women and their families in setting and accomplishing short- and long-term goals to help them become self-sufficient.
  • Tory Burch Foundation gave a $50,000 grant in 2017 to PeopleFund to help 44 women entrepreneurs who were affected by Hurricane Harvey.
  • In 2016, following flooding in the Baton Rouge area, Foundation for Louisiana, provided $40,000 in funding to Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR) to support the hiring of an additional housing worker to help reduce the increased case load they were seeing post-disaster. As a result, STAR was able to eliminate its waitlist within a few months.
  • Oak Foundation gave MADRE an $800,000 grant in 2016 to provide financial and capacity-building support to the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq. This helped MADRE provide immediate support to women and girls fleeing gender-based violence in Iraq and advocate for their rights. MADRE partners with grassroots women on the frontlines of war and disaster.
  • The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal gave an $11,187 grant to Women’s Health Goulburn North East to engage with partner groups to co-design a ‘train the trainer’ program to deliver Gender in Disaster education within participant and other community organizations.

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