Strengthening Local Humanitarian Leadership

Local officials, program managers and other frontline staff delivering services play a vital role in providing immediate relief and setting the course for long-term equitable recovery in communities after a disaster or crisis. But these local humanitarian leaders and organizations are mostly under-resourced and under-funded. They are often hamstrung by an imbalance of power that puts funders rather than local leaders in the driver’s seat for making critical decisions about strategically deploying limited resources.

The Strengthening Local Humanitarian Leadership Philanthropic Collaborative brings together grantmakers committed to increasing the institutional capacity of these local partners worldwide. Our goal is to ensure that those on-the-ground are equipped to leverage local knowledge, history and connections to develop services that are compatible with the cultural, socio-political and economic realities of the communities they serve.

We invite other funders to join our collective action, knowledge sharing and tangible changes in funding policies and practices that help rather than hinder communities from a full and sustainable recovery.

With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, and the administrative leadership of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), the collaborative is entering a new phase of investing in local leaders.

Who We Are

We are a group of funders working across intersectional issues and serving a variety of communities seeking a vibrant and thriving future for all:

• Amazon
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Center for Disaster Philanthropy
• Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
• Facebook
• Give2Asia
• GlobalGiving
• Google.org
• Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies
• Microsoft Philanthropies
• The Open Society Foundations
• The UPS Foundation
• Walmart Foundation

 
Discover how the collaborative can help amplify the impact of your disaster giving. Contact Kim Maphis Early, senior associate at CDP, at kim.maphisearly@disasterphilanthropy.org.

The Work Ahead

Members of the collaborative meet regularly to examine grantmaking practices and policies, and learn from international, local and regional NGOs and governmental and multi-lateral organizations in the humanitarian sector.

Beginning in late 2020, the group will inaugurate a process for considering promising projects identified by local partners for financial support and increased impact through pooled funds.

Members can opt-in or opt-out of funding opportunities while still benefitting from ongoing educational outreach and resource development.

Additional Resources

Learn more about the role of local humanitarian and response organizations in preventing and recovering from a disaster or crisis.

• Strengthening Local Humanitarian Leadership Philanthropic Toolkit
  A collection of resources from CDP’s Disaster Philanthropy Playbook includes practical information and guidance on shifting the power dynamics in funding from donors to local humanitarian leaders who are the first responders in climate events and protracted crises.
• The World Humanitarian Summit: A Pivot Point in Philanthropy’s Contribution to Addressing the Humanitarian Crises
  A call-to-action from the World Humanitarian Summit that inspired the creation of the Strengthening Local Humanitarian Leadership Philanthropic Collaborative in 2016.
• Funder and Grantee Profiles
  What can funders and grantee partners accomplish when local organizations have the power and resources to lead community recovery? Read these inspiring case studies.

Contact Us

We’d like to hear from you. For questions or additional information, contact Kim Maphis Early.