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Hurricane Ian devastated communities across Florida and the Southeast recently, killing more than 100 people and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. After the worst had passed, I was heartened to see public, private, and philanthropic organizations—including my own—come together to support recovery.
While it's difficult to fathom in the midst of these storms, funding for disaster relief has become increasingly political. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, federal legislators have taken hundreds of votes against storm recovery funding—even as Americans are facing more climate disasters than ever before. In the era of extreme partisanship we're living through, what was once a standard government response to crises is becoming less and less predictable.
That's why the role of philanthropy is more important than ever. Charitable organizations have long supported communities in need, and we are stepping up now to fill new gaps in government response. But as philanthropic responsibilities grow, how we do this work—and with whom—matters more than ever before. To reach individuals left behind by the government, philanthropies must get better at doing what the government cannot: tailoring our work to the unique needs and perspectives of those on the ground. Here's how.
First, we must build local infrastructure. In the United States, government funding is primarily passed down from the federal level, through state governments, and into localities that use it for community grants, direct support, and a variety of local needs. That federated structure is effective, but only goes so far.
Too often, disbursing funds to address the most pressing needs is a challenge made worse by the lack of local insight and context. Consider many states' difficulties in implementing the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which was approved by Congress to provide direct relief to renters at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight months after congressional approval, only 11 percent of the program's $46.5 billion dollars had reached tenants in need. More than 60 percent of qualified renters had not even applied for relief.
The problem here was not a lack of political will, nor was it a lack of funding. Instead, part of what was missing was a lack of local infrastructure required to get this money directly where it was needed on the ground. It is no surprise that successful programs—such as those in Texas and Virginia—relied on nonprofits to fill this gap. As one Houston, Texas official put it: "The reality is that some tenants don't trust the government ... our nonprofit providers and our agencies that are on the ground are the ones who are spreading the message." If we are going to fill expanding gaps in government services—from housing relief to hurricane recovery—philanthropies must have a deep understanding of local dynamics and needs.
Second, nonprofits and philanthropies must get creative. Perhaps the largest criticism of government is that it is, by nature of its size, bureaucratic and inflexible. Our organizations are smaller, more nimble, and much more likely to be singularly-focused—which makes us more agile and responsive. We need to lean into this creativity and use it for positive change.
As communities continue to grapple with a spike in food insecurity, nonprofits like Feeding America and United Way Worldwide have partnered with companies like DoorDash to bring food directly to individuals at their homes. It's an innovative program that was designed to address a rapidly emerging need—and its creativity has paid off. We saw a similar embrace of creativity in Puerto Rico after the devastation of Hurricane Maria, when nonprofit Solar Responders was formed to bring solar power directly to first responders on the ground. When our organizations tap into creative collaboration within and across sectors, we can dramatically increase our impact.
Finally, nonprofits and corporations must build a lasting presence in communities regardless of political landscape. Consider the child tax credit, which Congress expanded in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy change single-handedly lifted an estimated 3.7 million children out of poverty—but by the end of the year, the political winds had shifted. Congress failed to extend the program, and millions of children fell back into poverty as a result. When increasing division fuels new fights—from child poverty to disaster relief—it's up to philanthropies to stay the course.
As the leader of the world's biggest charitable organization, it is inspiring to see philanthropy step up our response to Hurricane Ian and beyond. As we get to it, we must remember to build local infrastructure, lean into creativity, and stay for the long-term. If we do, we'll be well on our way to building a better, stronger future for us all.
Angela F. Williams is president and CEO of United Way Worldwide.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
