11/20/2023
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, a familiar narrative is already taking shape. It goes like this: A major disaster sparks a flood of donations to the big relief organizations. These groups, with their large marketing departments, scramble to solicit funding, even if they lack the capacity on the ground to deliver aid. In the meantime, local nonprofits in disaster zones work overtime to address community needs, often without reliable electricity or internet service — or the ability to focus on fundraising in the days following a disaster.
On each anniversary of these megastorms, earthquakes, wildfires, and other catastrophic events, the same questions get asked: What was achieved? How have the affected communities benefited from the outpouring of generosity that followed the disaster? Have those benefits been distributed equitably? The answers are usually disappointing.
Donations sent to large national and international organizations such as the American Red Cross are often delayed and diverted — sometimes for months or even years — before only a fraction reaches local nonprofits. And studies show that each time funds change hands, at least 9 percent is taken for overhead costs. Spending on overhead is fine when it’s deserved, but too often large organizations take such funds when they aren’t delivering any actual services — a problem that was well documented following Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and the Haiti earthquake in 2010.
