Article by Gregory Andersen, Former manager, international grantmaking
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Hilton Foundation carefully weighed a number of options and potential areas of need. Because housing-related needs were identified as being a major priority, the Foundation decided to leverage its existing relationships in the Homelessness sector for guidance.
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation supports programs and activities to respond to and prepare for disasters. Some of the Foundation’s support in this area is a direct response to disasters that have already occurred. However, an increasing part of our work is focused on identifying opportunities for the Foundation to support and promote disaster preparedness, as well as strengthening vulnerable communities before disaster strikes.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Hilton Foundation carefully weighed a number of options and potential areas of need. Because housing-related needs were identified as being a major priority, the Foundation decided to leverage its existing relationships in the Homelessness sector for guidance. As a result, the Hilton Foundation awarded grants of $500,000 to Enterprise Community Partners and $100,000 to Project Hospitality to address the housing-related needs of people affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Although there is often a big flow of donations in the first month or two following a disaster, from our research we know that funding and media attention tend to dry up pretty quickly. Yet, affected communities may need support and resources for many more months or years to help them recover and rebuild. We want to make sure that those communities have the long-term resources they need to truly recover—not just survive short-term. Ultimately, we hope that other funders will consider providing carefully thought-out donations for those longer-term needs as well.
One of the core principles of our founder, Conrad Hilton, was that we should assist those people who are the most vulnerable and the most in need. There are few events that can render an individual or a community more vulnerable—more in need of help to recover—than a devastating disaster. This is a concept that even communities that have not yet been hit by a disaster can relate to. It’s fairly easy to identify the many communities that are particularly vulnerable to a potential disaster or some type of shock, and a lot can be done to help them prepare for, and recover from, a disaster.
We look at every disaster or potential disaster as a unique situation and seek out partnerships that are best suited to the particular circumstances and location. For disaster work, we do not limit our grantmaking to the same few organizations every time. In fact, about half the disaster-related grants the Foundation has made in the past few years have been to organizations the Foundation has never funded before
If an individual or organization responds to a disaster with funding, they are in essence ‘getting involved,’ which is a decision that carries some responsibility. Well-intentioned but uninformed giving can do more harm than good. It is important to tap into reliable sources of information for advice. Mainstream media coverage is not necessarily a sufficiently reliable resource. Consider funding after media coverage has faded and other donations have slowed. Support organizations that follow SPHERE guidelines for responsible disaster response. Support organizations that are signatories to the Red Cross/ Red Crescent Code of Conduct. Seek response organizations that have established relationships with the affected communities. Generally speaking, donating money is a better idea than donating goods. Consider funding preparedness programs as an alternative to funding post-disaster response. And, finally, give support thoughtfully rather than emotionally.