— Boris, Elizabeth, and C. Eugene Steuerle, eds. After Katrina: Public Expectation and Charities' Response. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, May 2006. (PDF file) This report focuses on the perceptions and expectations of three groups-the donating public, government, and the press-noting some of the misperceptions and unrealistic expectations encountered regarding the role and capacity of nonprofit organizations in responding to emergencies or disasters. More public education is needed about the structure and capacity of the nonprofit sector to counter this lack of understanding. — The Brookings Institution. New Orleans after the Storm: Lessons from the Past, a Plan for the Future. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, October 2005. This report shows how the region's past development trends exacerbated the devastating effects of the storm and suggests how the region might rise again on a better footing by transcending the mistakes of the past. The report describes how recent growth patterns shaped the area's social geography, and examines the policy and investment decisions made by the federal, state, and local governments that influenced how the city grew. The report recommends a number of policies that are likely to make the region more sustainable, more inclusive, and more economically competitive than it was before the storm. |
<< Disaster Planning and Preparedness for Nonprofits |
— Government Accountability Office (GAO). Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Provision of Charitable Assistance. GAO 06-297T. Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2005. (PDF file) GAO provides an overview of the lessons learned from charities' response to previous disasters and offers initial observations about the role of charities following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Although some progress has been made to improve collaboration among charities, such as sharing information through electronic databases and daily conference calls, charities still faced considerable challenges. The report notes the work that smaller organizations, especially local churches, played in helping people in hard-to-reach communities. — Light, Paul. "Katrina's Lesson in Readiness." The Washington Post, September 1, 2006, A29. Written days after the hurricanes, this article argues for the need to build a robust and flexible national preparedness and response system. The author outlines four principles upon which to build such as system. — Pipa, Tony. "Weathering the Storm: The Role of Local Nonprofits in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts." Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute, 2006. (PDF file) This report provides new insights on how local nonprofit organizations and religious congregations (small and mid-sized organizations) responded to the hurricane relief efforts. It documents how the work of local nonprofits was largely overlooked by the national media and, more importantly, by national relief agencies. Both FEMA and the Red Cross offered limited support and coordination to these groups. The author recommends steps that are likely to increase coordination among local nonprofits and between nonprofits and government. Recommendations are framed specifically for policymakers and for foundation and corporate donors. — Winston, Pamela, Olivia Golden, Kenneth Finegold, Kim Rueben, Margery Austin Turner, and Stephen Zuckerman. Federalism after Hurricane Katrina: How Can Social Programs Respond to a Major Disaster? Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, June 2006. This paper explores the key features of four essential federal-state-local programs that have offered supports to low-income families and individuals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina-housing, unemployment compensation, Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. It argues that the complexity of their structures and limited scale have inhibited their ability to respond effectively and quickly to the needs created by Hurricane Katrina. The paper recommends that national policymakers develop disaster relief mechanisms better suited to address the large-scale, cross-jurisdictional migration, diminished state fiscal capacity, increased demand for assistance, and other challenges that major disasters present. |
