Richard Walden, writing in a recent opinion piece in the LA Times commentary, questions whether too much of the Katrina-related aid is going to the Red Cross. According to the article, 70% of Katrina donations has gone to the Red Cross.
This poses the question as to whether other organizations, such as the community foundations in the area, might be better positioned to aid the affected areas over the long term.
I was recently at the Community Foundations conference and I heard about the work being done behind the scenes by community foundations in Texas and Louisiana to rebuild and reconnect communities. So I wonder what’s holding them back from asking for donations. Are community foundations worried about competing with their own grantees? Or are there other reasons why they are holding back on aggressively appealing to the public?
Are you enjoying this article? Read more like this, plus SSIR's full archive of content, when you subscribe.
Support SSIR’s coverage of cross-sector solutions to global challenges.
Help us further the reach of innovative ideas. Donate today.
Read more stories by Perla Ni.