Alliance for Nonprofit Management › Resources: Hurricane Katrina

Resources: Hurricane Katrina

With lively public debate about hurricane response, many nonprofit leaders and capacity builders are clear that the nonprofit sector has a key role. More than ever see the opportunity - and critical importance - of cultural competency in the way nonprofits work and get support. The Alliance offers a key set of resources to make your efforts more effective in "Cultural Competency for Nonprofits: The Resource Pages."

With lively public debate about hurricane response, many nonprofit leaders and capacity builders are clear that the nonprofit sector has a key role. More than ever see the opportunity - and critical importance - of cultural competency in the way nonprofits work and get support. The Alliance offers a key set of resources to make your efforts more effective in "Cultural Competency for Nonprofits: The Resource Pages."

This list will evolve as we learn about additional resources that could help capacity builders in their work with nonprofits who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina or events surrounding the disaster. Whether you are looking for information to pass along to your nonprofit clients about how they can help other nonprofits in need, or you are looking for resources to aid in affecting change for social justice, these resources should help. Please send your suggested resources to laura@allianceonline.org.

GRASSROOTS/LOW-INCOME/PEOPLE OF COLOR-LED RELIEF EFFORTS

Here is one compiled list of grassroots efforts (who needs what and where):

http://katrina.mayfirst.org/

People's Hurricane Fund: set up for and BY New Orleans evacuees and community leaders...

www.qecr.org for general information or to donate by mail

https://secure.truemajority.org/03/clu to donate online

Tides Rapid Response Fund

Foundation for the Mid South

The Advancement Project has adopted Jefferson-Davis County, Mississippi and has issued a Call to Action to collect certain items to distribute directly to rural areas (see website for more detail): http://www.advancementproject.org

Headwaters Foundation for Justice Gulf Coast Community Renewal Fund was created for the Gulf Coast region with the goal of addressing systemic injustices as well as immediate relief. The fund will receive and distribute contributions directed toward: relief efforts, rebuilding of community-based non-profit organizations, and community organizing to change the structural causes of injustice. The funds will be distributed to progressive community-based funders in the South, who have first hand knowledge of where the support can have the greatest and deepest impact.

CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS

To learn about what some capacity builders are doing to help, visit these links:

Council on Foundations: Disaster Grantmaking – A Practical Guide for Foundations and Corporations

GrantStation.com – offering a clearinghouse of funding information related to Katrina

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success

Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO)

Mississippi Center for Nonprofits

National Economics & Social Rights Initiative

Southern Partners Fund – Relief & Renewal Fund

United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast

To learn about initiatives helping nonprofits around certain issue areas, use the links below:

ARTS

Americans for the Arts

TECHNOLOGY

TechSoup.org: If your organization finds itself acting as a de facto emergency service assisting victims with first aid, transport, or counseling, this guide to technology planning for civil emergencies can help. Learn how to keep systems running, communications mobile, and download volunteer and victim registration spreadsheets.

COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA

The Spin Project

REACH OUT!

We urge you to reach out about this issue using these tools...

Use online templates to write your local government officials, FEMA directors, President Bush, and others. The Praxis Project makes reaching out easy. On this website, letter templates are provided that are editable, and the letters are sent for you once you fill in the requested information:

http://www.thepraxisproject.org/news/katrina.html

Use this link to open a Word document that includes information about how to reach out to the media to demand racial justice in the media of Katrina's aftermath:

http://www.thepraxisproject.org/tools/YMC_katrina.doc

Note: Take some time to write at least one "letter to the editor." Choose a media piece that moves you in some way, and write a letter to the editor of that media source. It's an effective way to get our collective voice heard about issues in which we work every day and can offer knowledgeable opinions.

DIRECT AID FOR SURVIVORS

JOBS FOR HURRICANE SURVIVORS:

Katrina Job Relief: National job board for Katrina survivors

LEGAL AID

The American Bar Association, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has opened 24-hour toll-free numbers for victims of Hurricane Katrina who need free legal assistance or advice.

The numbers are:

Louisiana residents: 1-800-310-7029

Mississippi residents: 1-866-255-4495

Alabama residents: 1-800-354-6154

Callers will be connected with lawyers from local bar associations who will answer legal questions and provide assistance for problems resulting from the disaster.

Interested lawyers can sign up at the ABA's website.

HOUSING

Hurricane Housing a project of MoveOn.org

Craigslist

LINKING PEOPLE

Family News Network Registry: International Committee of the Red Cross, working closely with American Red Cross, has created this list to help link families who have been separated:

Katrina List

Missing Person: NOLA

GENERAL

Katrina Help Wiki: A website dedicated to sorting various categories of information related to the hurricane

Craigslist: find volunteers, temporary housing, etc.

STATE INFORMATION LINKS

These link to helpful contact information for various state resources

Alabama

Florida

Louisiana

Mississippi

DOING BUSINESS WITH FEMA

If you want to offer services to help FEMA with aspects of Katrina's aftermath, use the state links above to find details. Most purchases of disaster recovery services and products are made by local and state governments.

In general, proposals must include the following information:

·        Company name

·        Business address

·        Contact information

·        Type of service or product offered

·        Type of equipment

·        Number of workers being provided

·        Cost for service or product

·        Whether the company is volunteering services

You can also contact County offices of emergency management.

FEMA acquires the services of independent contractors in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation through sealed bidding or negotiations. FEMA also accepts unsolicited proposals for product and services. You may call FEMA's acquisition voice message system at (202) 646-4006 for more information concerning business solicitations. www.fema.gov/ofm offers a brief summary about doing business with FEMA.

FEMA locates qualified small businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration's Pro-net. You may register with Pro-net on the SBA's website (www.sba.gov).

DONATE AIR MILES…

Many Alliance members travel quite a bit. Please consider donating some of your air miles to assist in relief efforts or in getting families reunited.

United Airlines: To donate miles or to get mileage credit for a donation to American Red Cross

American Airlines credits donations to the American Red Cross with bonus miles
(click on "Hurricane Relief Fund" button to learn more about getting bonus mile credits)

Delta Airlines has a program where you can donate miles to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army.

Stay informed: POLITICS and NEWS about Katrina

We all know where to find mainstream national news. For those of you who want some different angles in order to stay informed in a broader sense, here is a list of various news sources worth browsing:

FEMA news releases

Independent Media Center

New Orleans Independent Media Center

Houston Independent Media Center

Citizens for Legitimate Government

Black America Web.com headline news

Philanthropy News Digest: for philanthropy-related news about Katrina's aftermath

The Foundation Center (to link to a list of foundations and corporations that have contributed to relief efforts)

Katrina's Lessons in Readiness, an article by Paul C. Light, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, from the Washington Post, 9/1/05