Building More Resilient Communities: Pro Bono As a Tool for Disaster Preparedness
Read the full blog on taprootfoundation.org
Preparing for future crises now
From massive natural disasters to complex and escalating conflicts, communities around the world experienced unprecedented incidences of crises requiring emergency response last year. The global cost for natural disasters in 2017 alone totaled $330 billion. In the wake of disasters, many companies mobilize to offer volunteers for on-the-ground rapid response activities and to provide financial assistance, often spending significant portions of their philanthropic budget on disaster relief. But, is there room for more to be done?
While disaster relief is critical, current risk trends indicate the need to start preparing for future crises now. For companies seeking to do more, investing in supporting nonprofits to prepare for these events can maximize the impact of their philanthropic dollars. In fact, a recent study by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) found that every $1 invested in disaster preparedness and mitigation saves $6 on average in future costs. However, only 4% of all disaster spending is currently focused on preparedness. This represents a huge opportunity for companies to strategically direct their resources to meet a critical need nonprofits face in disaster preparedness, and pro bono service is a powerful tool to do so.
Leverage your company’s vast expertise
Through pro bono service, companies can leverage their vast expertise to equip nonprofit and humanitarian organizations with strong foundations to respond as efficiently as possible when future crises strike.
What can your company do to help nonprofits prepare for disasters?
