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 South Asia
Last Updated November 29, 2005
An earthquake, 7.6 in magnitude, struck northern Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir on Saturday, October 8th, leading to widespread destruction. Indian-administered Kashmir and regions in Afghanistan were also affected.
Note: The Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has designated this earthquake as a qualified disaster in the affected areas of the following countries: Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. For more information on what this means for your foundation or corporate giving program, please consult the Council's Disaster Relief Q&A prepared in response to Hurricane Katrina.
The following resources for foundations and corporate grantmakers interested in responding to the disaster are provided for educational purposes only. Please consult our Disclaimer for a full explanation of the purposes and limitations of this information.
InterAction: The largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations lists member organizations that are currently responding to the earthquake in South Asia. InterAction members have agreed to abide by a set of standards to ensure accountability to donors.
Grantmakers Without Borders: A funders network committed to increasing strategic and compassionate funding for international societal change, Gw/oB gives advice to donors and recommends organizations working in the region.
Intermediary Organizations/Funding Partners: 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. Consult the Links section for a list of intermediaries organized by issue area and geographic focus. The following Council members are raising funds and distributing aid to victims of the earthquake:
Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) and Focus Humanitarian Assistance Canada (FOCUS) have been working within the broader Aga Khan Development Network to provide immediate assistance to communities devastated by the earthquake.
CAFAmerica is supporting victims of the earthquake through several charitable organizations and is working with local partners in the affected regions. To suggest a grant to an organization
providing relief in the region, email info@cafamerica.org.
Give2Asia has created the Pakistan Earthquake Fund to help with rebuilding and relief efforts in the most affected regions through programs identified by on-the-ground staff.
Global Fund for Women is accepting funds to support women's groups in the affected area. To donate, visit the Global Fund's website, click on the donate now button, and specify that the contribution is for the South Asian Earthquake.
United Nations Foundation has set up the South Asia Earthquake Response Fund to support the UN's emergency relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation efforts and has committed
$1 million to UN earthquake relief initiatives in South
Asia.
South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund: Formed under the leadership of Citigroup, GE, Pfizer, UPS and Xerox, this fund will
direct resources to relief organizations providing funds, supplies, and expertise where they are needed most. The fund will be administered by the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy, an international nonprofit forum dedicated to advocating and practicing corporate philanthropy. Donations are being accepted online.
Government and Multilateral Agencies
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): The U.S. Government's foreign assistance agency site provides updates on the situation in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, information on U.S. government assistance, as well as general information on how to help those affected by a disaster overseas.
United Nations: The United Nations emergency team has set coordination centers in affected regions in Pakistan to assist in relief efforts. Read the OCHA Situation Report on South Asia (Pakistan and India) - Earthquake (in PDF) containing relief requirements and national and international assistance provided. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) requests that donors and recipient agencies report all humanitarian funding and in-kind contributions for this emergency to the Financial Tracking Service (fts@reliefweb.int).
ReliefWeb: ReliefWeb is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. ReliefWeb provides an online clearing house, country profiles, sector updates, and lists of appeals and funding for the earthquake. Current contributions can be found here (in PDF).
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): UNICEF issued an appeal for $20 million for the earthquake in Pakistan. The UNICEF website reports on supplies that have been moved to affected regions.
In-Country Giving
Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy: Based in Islamabad, this WINGS member, may be contacted for information on how to support relief efforts in the region. The Centre's website also links to laws governing nonprofit organizations in the country.
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 to the left) plus practical tips for grantmakers to consider when responding to emergency situations. (You may download it here - in 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).
Reuters AlertNet: Reuters AlertNet, a humanitarian news network and project of the Reuters Foundation, aims to keep relief professionals and the wider public up-to-date on humanitarian crises around the globe. Read about NGO activity in the earthquake-affected regions.
