A huge thank you to Audrey Kidwell, Grants Manager for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, for providing many of the resources and tips included in this article.
Hurricanes. Wildfires. Floods. Prolonged droughts.
Climate events are no longer a once-in-a-generation occurrence. Modern grantmakers must be prepared and ready to support their communities when—not if—a climate disaster hits.
Here are actionable steps and resources leaders at grantmaking organizations can use to ensure their operations continue smoothly and effectively during such events.
Keep Your Organization Operational
To effectively support the community during a climate event, it is crucial that your organization remains operational. Here are some strategies to ensure your infrastructure and processes are resilient.
Embrace Cloud-Based Processes
Cloud-based digital processes enable your staff to access necessary systems from anywhere. This flexibility ensures that operations can continue even if your physical office is impacted.
Create a Single System of Record
Having a single system of record breaks down silos within your organization, making it easier for different team members to step in and keep processes moving seamlessly.
Engage with Partner Organizations
Partner with other organizations to provide overlapping support, enhancing your effectiveness during a crisis. If possible, establish these relationships beforehand so you can make an immediate impact.
Plan for Internet Outages
Ensure that you have a plan for short-term internet outages. This could include setting up operations off-site or having offline resources available. Make sure employees know what is expected of them and how to communicate if they are unable to work due to connectivity issues.
Employee Roles and Responsibilities
Define clear policies regarding employee roles, especially for those who might help with on-the-ground cleanup efforts versus those who will keep the organization running. Communication is key to ensuring everyone knows their responsibilities during a crisis.
Support Your Grantees
Supporting your grantees effectively during a climate event requires a long-term perspective and flexibility. Here are some essential steps.
Take the Long View
Disaster recovery is a long-term process. As the Center for Disaster Philanthropy notes in their tips for disaster giving, funders should be patient in planning their disaster funding, because the impact of the disaster will unfold over time. Your community will need flexible funding throughout the recovery period.
Listen to Your Community
Understand what is already being done in your community and where there is still a need. Listening to your community will help you identify where your support can be most effective.
Simplify Processes
If you launch an emergency funding program, streamline the process as much as possible. This includes simple narratives, flexible budgets, clear timelines for decisions, and a quick approval process.
Extend Deadlines
For programs currently in the application cycle, extend deadlines for potential grantees in impacted areas. Update programs to include operating expenses or costs associated with cleanup, and communicate with current grantees about waiving or postponing reporting deadlines.
Collaborate Locally
If you do not launch an emergency funding program, support local organizations that can quickly get funds to the communities you serve. This collaboration can make a significant—and immediate—impact.
Be Aware of Communication Challenges
Understand that mail and other forms of communication will likely be delayed. Plan for these delays and ensure grantees know that you are aware of the challenges they face.
Prepare for the Next Climate Event
Preparation is key to mitigating the impact of future climate events. Here’s how grantmakers can be ready.
Conduct a Risk Assessment
Evaluate your organization to identify which processes would be most impacted by a climate event. Task relevant employees with making these processes more resilient, such as moving to a paperless application and review process and automating payment processes.
Build Strong Partnerships
Establish relationships with other grantmaking organizations and community leaders. Look for community foundations with missional overlap and create plans for mutual support during a crisis.
Establish an Operating Reserve
Create an operating reserve or reserve fund specifically for community emergencies. Define clear policies on when and how this fund can be used, particularly in the event of a climate disaster.
Create a Disaster and Recovery Guide
Develop a comprehensive disaster and recovery guide for your organization. This guide should outline the steps to take and who is responsible at each stage of a crisis. Ensure all team members are familiar with this plan.
Provide Employee Resources
Ensure that your employees and their families are prepared for a climate event. Host training sessions for basic skills such as CPR and first aid. Consider setting up an employee assistance fund for staff who experience losses during a disaster.
Encourage Disaster Preparedness
Encourage your team to engage with educational resources such as the Stop Disasters Game to learn about building disaster-resistant cities. Keep emergency supplies, such as first aid kits, blankets, water, non-perishable food, and power supplies, at the office in case it becomes the safest place for people to be.
All Modern Grantmakers Must Be Prepared for the Next Disaster
Modern grantmakers must be proactive and prepared for the inevitability of climate events. By establishing plans to keep your organization operational, supporting your grantees effectively, and preparing for future disasters, you can ensure that your community remains resilient and well-supported when the worst happens.
The Center for Disaster Philanthropy also provides a number of resources to help funding organizations navigate climate events.
For further resources and detailed action steps, check out these other resources:
