Intent to Action: Factors influencing NGO support for marginalized communities before, during, and after natural disasters.

• In Event: Disaster Aid, Equity, and Electoral Disruptions: Analyzing the Impact of Climate Hazards and Government Responses

Abstract

Federal agencies have noted the increase in hazards related to climate change, particularly wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding (DHS, 2024; FEMA 2021; NOAA, 2021; NASA, 2021). Recent work shows that continual and repeated disruptions disproportionately harm marginalized communities (Davis et al., 2023). Emerging evidence suggests that current disaster management systems have failed to reach marginalized communities, build trust, and accurately assess the needs among those most in need after a hazardous event (Berke et al., 2011; Findholt, 2013), making them less likely to recover fully (Beaver et al., 2005; Davis et al., 2021).

One reason for this shortfall is a lack of organizations poised to support critical communities in need. Non-governmental organizations have been shown to provide resources, information, and networks for hazard preparedness and relief, but NGO support varies across U.S. jurisdictions. In this paper, we unpack the role of NGOs as a key institutional mechanism for reaching communities hardest hit by climate hazards.  Our paper uses signaling theory to illustrate the gap between the intentions and actions of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in supporting affected communities before, during, and after three disasters in the United States: Hurricane Ida, Tropical Storm Ophelia, and Hurricane Helene. We use social media and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data to identify and evaluate profiles of NGOs that a) express an orientation towards supporting marginalized groups and b) actively offer support to marginalized groups in the United States.  We find that the stated missions and intentions of NGOs do not necessarily translate into measurable action with respect to disaster recovery and preparedness. We measure this activity as a function of web site and Facebook evidence of communication before, during, and after storm events.  This paper contributes to a blossoming literature on how NGOs use social media to assist and communicate during disasters. Furthermore, it offers deeper insights into how governments can collaborate with NGOs to support the most affected during such events.

 

 

 

 

Author

• Musopa Kalenga, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Presenting Author