Measuring The State of Disaster Philanthropy

Data to Drive Decisions

Aftermath of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique. Denis Onyodi, IFRC/DRK/Climate Centre

Disasters and humanitarian crises affected millions of people globally in 2016. Donors responded generously to these disasters: How were their dollars allocated?

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy is proud to partner with Foundation Center, the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide, to present this interactive dashboard, which provides an analysis of disaster-related funding by foundations, governments, corporations, and individuals. The data presented here illuminate funding trends, expose imbalances in where and when contributions are made, and can help donors make more strategic decisions about their investments in the full life cycle of disasters, including preparedness and recovery efforts.

Explore the Data Download the Report

What Types of Disasters Are Funded by Foundations?

  • Disasters - General 34% of giving$77,756,878326 grants
  • Natural Hazards/Severe Weather 56% of giving$128,909,953707 grants
  • Complex Humanitarian Emergencies 7% of giving$15,813,25365 grants
  • Man-made Accidents 3% of giving$6,219,70924 grants

Acre Fire in the São Bernardo Community in Rio Branco in the Amazon. Katie Maehler, Mídia NINJA

Over a third of private giving is done in less than the first four weeks of a sudden disaster...and two-thirds within two months. This giving stops almost completely after five or six months.

William M. Paton

Author of Philanthropic Grantmaking for Disasters

What Disaster Assistance Strategies Are Funded by Foundations?

  • Resilience, Risk Reduction, & Mitigation 1% of giving$3,218,00015 grants
  • Preparedness 7% of giving$15,361,91433 grants
  • Response & Relief 38% of giving$86,435,333576 grants
  • Reconstruction & Recovery 19% of giving$43,710,796198 grants
  • Multiple Strategies 20% of giving$45,755,694111 grants
  • Unspecified 14% of giving$30,878,417170 grants
  • Other 1% of giving$3,339,63919 grants

March 2019 Flood, Fremont, NE. Fremont United Way

Every dollar you spend upfront in some type of resilience initiative can be helpful to prevent the same recurring events that happen if all you do is respond after disasters.

Joe Ruiz

Director of UPS Humanitarian Relief Program

Where Does Disaster Funding From Foundations Go?