Overarching Themes
• The Nonprofit Community plays a critical role in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, especially in meeting the needs of vulnerable populations and in long-term recovery.
• Nonprofit organizations possess unique resources and capabilities (e.g., shelters, supplies, volunteers) which are different from, and complementary to, government and private sector resources; these resources must be identified and planned for before disaster strikes.
• Information sharing and collaboration among nonprofits and with local governments are essential at every phase – preparedness, response and recovery – in order to meet the needs of our region’s citizens.
• Nonprofits must be included in regional exercises and training events to make them more effective in a crisis.
• Nonprofits need a coordinated source of information and guidance during a disaster, and Emergency Managers need a coordinated point of contact into the Nonprofit Community to request and coordinate resources.
• Great care is taken throughout this plan to avoid recreating or duplicating structures that already exist; focus is on promoting, leveraging and strengthening existing structures and processes.
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Nonprofit Roadmap to Preparedness |
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The Nonprofit Roundtable and the U.S. Deloitte firms partnered with the larger nonprofit community to develop a strategic plan that defines the National Capital Region (NCR) nonprofit sector's role in emergency response and recovery. This plan is designed to work in concert with, and address concerns in, the NCR’s Homeland Security Strategic Framework. One of the outcomes was the publication of "A Roadmap to Preparedness: Strategic Plan 2008-2011."
 Why a Roadmap to Preparedness? The Roadmap is meant to increase communication, collaboration, coordination and cooperation among nonprofits working in the field of disaster services, by getting them interested and involved in addressing the unmet needs and gaps discussed in the plan’s initiatives.
Who is this plan for? The Roadmap has two key audiences: First, the region’s nonprofits who can use this framework to assist in expanding partnerships, in collaboration with government agencies and foundations. Second, the document can be used by government agencies, private sector donors and philanthropic foundations who are interested in engaging with the nonprofits on issues concerning disaster preparedness, response and recovery. This framework will show them how the nonprofits are collaborating on various issues and help them to direct their community investments most effectively.
How to use this document: The Roadmap is designed as a tool for those who wish to seek partnership opportunities and seek assistance to address preparedness gaps in the region. Specifically this document provides an agreed upon playbook that can be used to coordinate preparedness efforts and strengthen nonprofits’ cases when seeking funds to address these gaps.
Download A Roadmap to Preparedness
Download the preceding Ready or Not? key findings report
You can also listen to audio from the October 23, 2008 launch of the Roadmap
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Regional Preparedness Groups
DCVOAD
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