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 Peru
Last Updated August 28, 2007
This resource is intended for grantmakers interested in responding to the earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale that shook the area south of Lima, Peru's capital, on August 15, 2007. According to estimates from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), 503 people were killed, 1,042 injured, and 40,307 families were affected. Several international NGOs based in the U.S. and multilateral and government agencies have swung into action to respond to the needs of those affected by the disaster. AlertNet, a humanitarian news network from the Reuters Foundation, provides informative updates on the humanitarian crises in Peru.
The following resources are provided for educational purposes only. Please consult the Disclaimer for a full explanation of the purposes and limitations of this information.
InterAction: InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, lists member NGO's that are accepting contributions for assistance they or their affiliates are providing to those affected by the earthquake in Peru. InterAction members agree to abide by a set of standards to ensure accountability to donors.
GlobalGiving: GlobalGiving connects donors with grassroots prjects that are actively assisting victims and survivors of the earthquake in Peru.
Tides Foundation: Tides’ Relief and Reconstruction Fund has been activated to aid the relief efforts following the deadly earthquake in Peru.
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 ReliefWeb: A project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, this website serves as a clearing house for information relating to the disaster in Peru. This page provides updates on who is doing what in the area, lists current appeals and tracks contributions. Also included in this page is a link to the most current situation report from the
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO): PAHO, a regional office of the World Health Organization, is responding to health -related concerns in affected regions in Peru. The website provides an update on the health situation and lists the most urgent health priorities.
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): UNICEF and other UN agencies are providing emergency relief to meet the needs of children in affected regions, particularly safe water supplies and oral rehydration salts. UNICEF is also conducting an assessment of damage to schools in the region.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): The U.S. Government's foreign assistance agency makes available on its website estimates of the extent of damage from the earthquake, current maps, specifics of U.S. government assistance, and summaries of international aid and disaster-relief activities in Peru. 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.
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).
