We’re getting a sector-wide perspective on the result of nearly $30 billion in disaster-related giving from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s (CDP) newest report Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy 2018. The 2018 edition reports on events from 2016.
We’re getting a sector-wide perspective on the result of nearly $30 billion in disaster-related giving from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s (CDP) newest report Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy 2018. The 2018 edition reports on events from 2016.
This fifth annual research report, developed in partnership with Foundation Center, looks at 12 data sources in documenting private, public, corporate and individual disaster-related giving to address major disasters and humanitarian crises.
Natural disasters in 2016 included Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, the Caribbean and parts of the U.S.; an earthquake in Ecuador; destructive storms and flooding affecting Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas and Maryland; and deadly wildfires in Tennessee. Civil unrest in Syria and Yemen and the Flint water crisis were considered the most significant man-made disasters of that time. Supplemental data was included on the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida.
Regine Webster, vice president, CDP, highlights that this year’s report includes a first-time analysis of contributions by non-U.S. donors, public charities and smaller U.S. foundations.
“This gives the report a broader picture of disaster philanthropy to better assist funders in data-driven decision-making to support the full arc of disasters. These additional data sources give everyone in philanthropy a greater understanding of the many avenues of funding that are directed to disasters.”
Key findings:
Nearly $200 million of the $30 billion in disaster-related giving in 2016 was funding from foundations and public charities, including U.S. and non-U.S. donors.
Natural disasters accounted for 44 percent of disaster funding, while man-made accidents received 15 percent.
Among disaster assistance strategies, 42 percent of dollars were for response and relief efforts and 17 percent went toward reconstruction and recovery. About five percent of funding was allocated for disaster preparedness.
In a November webinar discussing the report findings, CDP president and CEO Robert G. Ottenhoff commented on the stark contrast between funds given for immediate relief and the funding of preparedness and risk reduction efforts.
“While it’s been heartening to see organizations and individuals enthusiastically respond in the immediate aftermath of [disasters], there’s a real opportunity for philanthropists to be less reactive and more strategic in their disaster-related investments,” he advised.
“The full life cycle of disasters encompasses on the front-end risk reduction, mitigation, preparedness and resilience efforts that could minimize the economic and human losses associated with disasters. On the back end, recovery and reconstruction efforts can help communities rebuild and thrive following the devastation of disasters.”
Ottenhoff referred to the Flint water crisis as an example of a disaster with ongoing recovery efforts.
Activist and “citizen scientist” LeeAnne Walters, a resident of Flint, was a guest speaker on the CDP webinar. She shared the ongoing health challenges her own family is experiencing and explained that it will take approximately 10 years to see the full effect that lead is going to have on Flint’s residents. She also commented on continued mistrust in government, the need for infrastructure improvements and the challenges some residents still face in accessing clean water.
The C.S. Mott Foundation, a CMF member based in Flint, was listed in the CDP report as the second largest institutional donor in 2016, following only behind the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation was recognized for its efforts with the 2018 Secretary’s Award for Public and Philanthropic Partnerships from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Council on Foundations. The Community Foundation of Greater Flint, also a CMF member, was listed as the top recipient of philanthropic funding in 2016.
Five-Year Trend Study
With five years of data now collected, CDP has completed an analysis of disaster giving by the largest 1,000 foundations in the country. Key findings:
Foundations contributed an average $150.4 million per year specifically for disasters. Funding spiked in 2014 due to large grants for the Ebola outbreak, then declined over the next two years.
Disaster funding was largely focused on natural disasters, at 59 percent on average. Man-made accidents accounted for no more than 3 percent of dollars in every year except in 2016, when funding jumped to 20 percent due to the Flint water crisis.
Response and relief efforts were the most funded assistance strategy across all years, averaging 47 percent of all disaster funding. Recovery efforts increased in 2013 after Superstorm Sandy and in 2016 following the Flint water crisis. Resilience and risk reduction funding increased in 2015 in the wake of the Ebola outbreak.
FEMA distributed $3.7 billion for U.S. disasters in 2016, a $1.5 billion increase from the prior year. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $352.9 million in recovery efforts.
Based on available data, corporate giving programs committed at least $148.1 million to disasters and humanitarian crises through both cash and in-kind donations.
Development Initiatives, publisher of the Global Humanitarian Assistance Report, reported an estimated $4.1 billion in private donations by individuals for international humanitarian crises.
Individual donors contributed $8.2 million through donor-advised funds managed by Fidelity Charitable and $661,900 through donor-advised funds managed by Vanguard Charitable.
Many individual donors also gave through online platforms. Network for Good helped direct $6.8 million in donations to disaster-specific nonprofits. GlobalGiving raised $3.8 million for disasters, supporting 162 projects by 127 organizations.
The CDP offers an interactive resource for further exploration of the report’s data over the last five years.
Webster notes, “We hope this analysis will aid donors in considering how to maximize the impact of their disaster-related giving.”
CMF has posted a collection of curated resources for foundations engaged in disaster philanthropy. The resources in our Knowledge Center were gathered in response to an Ask CMF submission and are now available to all members. The collection includes a communications planning tool and a guide for setting up a disaster fund.
Want more?
Explore the CDP interactive data.
