Nonprofit Leadership for Disasters

The events that have taken place – and are still unfolding – in Japan certainly give pause when it comes to thinking about nonprofits.  There are many different types of nonprofit organizations and sometimes I think that, while our hearts pour out to the ones in desperate need, it’s important to think about disaster relief organizations and how the dollars that rush are being amassed and allocated.

I searched for writing on this subject and here’s just a sampling of what’s out there.

On Monday, the Chronicle of Philanthropy totaled up the donations and published them, noting that the American Red Cross had amassed the most, at over $19 million, and Save the Children had raised $2.5 million.  Many others, ranging from the Salvation Army ($980K) to Catholic Relief Services ($450K) were also collecting for the cause.

Bloggers like Joanne Fritz on About.com has some good nuggets of advice on how not to run a campaign based on her experience – advising the relief organizations on how not to frustrate their well meaning donors. But perhaps the most thoughtful was from Stephanie Strom, from the New York Times:

Disasters, particularly those epic enough to earn round-the-clock news coverage, are a fast way to get donors to open their wallets. So it was no surprise when nonprofit groups, starting with the American Red Cross and moving down to small charities, scrambled to raise money to help the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.  But wealthy Japan is not impoverished Haiti.  And many groups are raising money without really knowing how it will be spent – or even if it will be needed. The Japanese Red Cross, for example,has said repeatedly since the day after the earthquake that it does not want or need outside assistance. But that has not stopped the American Red Cross from raising $34 million through Tuesday afternoon in the name of Japan’s disaster victims.

As Stephanie asks, what is the best path for us as generous American donors to take?  Or, indeed, what direction should nonprofits take when it comes to helping in a world where some countries need more assistance than others?

Clearly, there are leadership roles that need to be asserted here.  Being true to the missions and goals of an organization are key.   Allocating resources (amassing resources) where they are most needed is another issue.  Perhaps more thought, and reasoning logic, behind what programs are most worthy – even in crisis - would best show how these agencies are “good stewards” of their donor dollars. 

Indeed, it is something to consider when opening your wallet to be generous and good, in the face of disaster.