Guest Post: Brainstorming ways for foundations to leverage technology during disasters

Editor's Note: Veronica Taylor is a consultant specializing in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. She previously worked with The Patterson Foundation to help deepen its understanding of the disaster space. As a guest blogger, she will cover issues relevant to the disaster sector. 

OK, now we’re on a roll.  New thinking!  Best practices!  21^st century solutions!  Here is the second blog in a series of promising practices for investing in disaster response and recovery. Join in the brainstorming, or let us know if you’re working on one of these concepts with a partner.  Spread the word, share the knowledge, and solve the problems!  This is a call to ACTION!

Develop a campaign that addresses next generation donors.

• One of the greatest joys I’ve had working in disasters around the world is working with the phenomenal young volunteers. These young ladies and gentlemen are doing things I would never have been allowed to do, and I would never ask my children to do!  We’ve got a new generation of philanthropists that have the awareness, the empathy, and the passion to respond to disasters.  Let’s make it easy for them! Again, reach them through ALL forms of social media.  Track their interests and keep them engaged. Work with their employer and offer volunteer and donation opportunities as company benefits. How can you support new and creative ways to reach this audience?

Invest in technology.

• Develop emergency management systems that continuously pull information from appropriate social networks and local news sources while simultaneously using these networks to push news and information out prior to, during, and after disaster events.

• Help create 21^st century solutions. Non-profits in disaster are buried dealing with the immediate needs of all the disasters. Foundations can take the lead in listening to the folks on the ground and funding the technological development, project management, implementation, training and maintenance.

• Develop personal emergency management memory sticks, similar to medical memory sticks to deal with the mind-numbing barrage of forms required post disaster. Encourage an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standard for FEMA forms.