Lessons From the Front Lines of Disaster Fundraising

When Hurricane Katrina hit in late August 2005, the organization was faced with the question of whether or not it should respond, as an international relief agency, to a domestic disaster. The main question, Hambuchen said, was whether Mercy Corps' presence would add value, and there were also concerns about how donors might react. Through the urging of donors and because of the magnitude of the disaster, the organization decided that it would help. Hambuchen said this underscored Lesson Two: Listen to donors. Donors were saying that they wanted the organization to help Katrina victims and while an organization shouldn't automatically jump to meet its donors' demands, Hambuchen said the organization evaluated the disaster and found that stepping in to offer aid was, indeed, the right decision.