In support of the Smart Response, an initiative of Disaster Accountability Project, our team will be participating on a 5k run on December 1st.
Disaster Accountability Project
Started in 2007 after Hurricane Katrina, with a goal to save lives and reduce suffering after disasters by maximizing the impact of preparedness, response and relief through citizen oversight and engagement, policy research and advocacy, and public education.
Smart Response is a global platform that improves the effectiveness of disaster relief and humanitarian aid globally by smartly curating localized "how to help" lists so donors (large and small) can directly support the organizations operating on the ground. Without intermediaries where donors can connect directly with local organizations.
Why: Disaster relief donations are often delayed and diverted. After the Haiti and Nepal earthquakes, DAP's reports found that most donations are sent to outside organizations that are not themselves present on the ground. Billions of dollars of donations are routinely delayed and diverted before only a small percentage reaches local organizations.
Solution: Smart Response! Informed and location-specific "how to help" lists that allow donors to support locally responsive organizations directly. As the only independent watchdog of disaster relief and humanitarian aid, DAP is uniquely positioned to pioneer a solution. It incentivizes transparency and allow locally-responsive groups to directly compete for donations that follows disasters.