4. Think beyond the immediate crisis to the long-term.
5. Bear in mind the expertise of local organizations.
6. Find out how prospective grantees operate.
7. Be accountable to those you are trying to help.
8. Communicate your work widely, and use it as an educational tool.
Responding to the Earthquake in China
UPDATE: (June 2008) China Earthquake Designated as a Qualified Disaster under section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code, which enables employer sponsored private foundations to assist certain victims in affected areas and allows recipients of this assistance to exclude the relief payments from gross income.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 struck central China on Monday, May 12, killing tens of thousands and leaving many others injured and homeless. The quake, China's worst in more than 30 years, centered in Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province but was also felt in Beijing and other major Asian cities.
China's Ministry of Civil Affairs is the primary government agency overseeing the relief and recovery efforts. The Government of China formally requested support from the international community on May 14.
Several resources are available to get information and to support relief efforts.
AlertNet, a humanitarian news network from the Reuters
Foundation, provides detailed news updates on the extent
of damage and ongoing humanitarian relief efforts in
affected regions.
Please note: This resource is intended for grantmakers interested in responding to
the disaster in China and is provided for educational
and informational purposes only. Please consult the Disclaimer
for a full explanation of the purposes and limitations
of this information.
China Charity Federation: One of the largest charity organizations in China, the CCF works with over 200 affiliated charity organizations worldwide to, among other things, deliver much needed assistance at the scene of natural disasters.
Red Cross Society of China: The only national Red Cross society in the People’s Republic of China, RCSC has sent two working groups, 31 emergency rescue teams and volunteer first aid teams to the affected areas. The International Federation of the Red Cross Societies is coordinating support efforts for the local office.
NGOs and Foundations
InterAction:
The largest alliance of U.S.-based international
development and humanitarian nongovernmental
organizations, provides details of member response
to the earthquake in China. InterAction members agree to abide by
a set
of standards to ensure accountability to donors.
Give2Asia: The Disaster Recovery Fund delivers aid for critical projects when disasters strike in Asia. Give2Asia’s network in 21 countries across the Asia-Pacific region makes it possible to act quickly, and fund local groups with established ties to affected communities.
GlobalGiving:
The web-based initiative connects donors to projects worldwide. They are currently partnering with organizations delivering emergency aid to the affected areas.
Western Union Foundation: The foundation is matching dollar for dollar all individual donations to Mercy Corps to be used for earthquake relief and rebuilding efforts in Sichuan Province, China.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors: The Bridge Fund Sichuan Earthquake Compassion Fund has been created to address both the urgent survival needs of victims as well the long-term restoration process. RPA is waiving all administrative and financial fees.
Intermediary
Grantmaking Organizations: Intermediaries are
generally public charities that offer fee
based-services designed to meet the needs of
grantmakers and individuals who wish to give outside
the country in which they are based but prefer not
to take on the responsibilities of doing so
directly. This section is organized by issue
area and geographic focus.
Government and Multilateral agencies
United Nations: The Central Emergency Response Fund is the UN's central donation facility collecting contributions year-round to help ensure that funds are on-hand to allow for immediate humanitarian relief in emergencies. The UN Foundation accepts tax-deductible and on-line donations for the CERF.
United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
UNICEF has been working in Sichuan and other nearby quake affected provinces for more than two decades in health, early childhood development, water and sanitation, anti-trafficking, HIV/AIDS and local planning.
U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID):
The U.S. Government's development assistance agency
makes available on its website estimates of the
extent of damage from the earthquake along with
specifics of U.S. government assistance. USAID
also provides general
information on how to help those affected by a
disaster overseas.
General Resources for Disaster Grantmaking
Disaster Grantmaking: A Practical Guide for Foundations and Corporations: A joint product of the Council on Foundations and the European Foundation Centre, this free publication suggests eight principles, listed on the left, plus practical tips for grantmakers to consider when responding to emergency situations. Download the PDF.
Best Practices in Disaster Grantmaking, Lessons from the Gulf Coast: Published by the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (NYRAG) outlines best practice strategies identified by nonprofits, community foundations and governmental agencies. Download the PDF.
Disaster Relief: Providing Assistance Through Charitable Organizations: Prepared by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Exempt and Government Entities division. Although this publication does not focus on international grantmaking it extends advice on how to give through existing U.S. charitable organizations, how to set up a new charitable organization and the requirements for documentation. Download it here (in PDF).
