St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund

Improve collective communication. There have been dramatic improvements to county-level communication systems relevant to disaster response as a result of the wildfires, but there is still room for improvement to keep the myriad individual organizations, networks, partnerships and coalitions connected and aware of each other's efforts. A particular focus on strengthening the feedback loop between funders and CBOs could improve disaster response planning and action. Whether regional or county-specific, creating a cross-sector communications hub will bolster all phases of disaster response. Create (and share) an equity lens. Discuss and define equity and vulnerability. Prioritize coordination and cooperation when definitions diverge. One of the findings of this assessment was that equity and vulnerability were critical frameworks that drove planning and strategy – but that many stakeholders have differing definitions on what equity and vulnerability look like. There is no "correct" approach to defining equity and vulnerability. A deep, honest, and inclusive discussion on equity and vulnerability in post-disaster settings could benefit the goal of effective collective action and collaboration. Commit to strategies that include immediate relief, medium term recovery, and foster long-term and ongoing community resilience. Much of the activity and funding went to the initial phases of disaster relief and recovery. It is natural to want to think the work is done after those phases and want to retreat from the task of disaster relief and recovery. However, long-term recovery and resilience is absolutely crucial to true community wellness. Delineating the lessons learned/best practices related to the distinct phases of response – relief, recovery, resilience – and ensuring that all three are current elements of the disaster response ecosystem will help keep the region in a state of readiness. Community resilience is paramount to disaster response. It is achieved by capacity building, community empowerment, social connectedness and capital creation, improving community health, wellness, and community systems. It should not only be an on-going investment and activity, but one that is also incorporated into any collective disaster response plan and individual organizational or agency decision-making. Define (and share) success measures. The regional disaster response could be strengthened by the collective definition of disaster relief, recovery, and resilience outcomes. While there are rational reasons why evaluation is not always prioritized in disaster response, tracking outputs is key to receiving certain forms of state and federal reimbursement, and tracking outputs and outcomes helps organizations to know when they are having their desired impact and when they need to shift gears. Since disaster response is truly a collective endeavor, the creation of a consensus driven system could be utilized by the region or county-level communities and would make that response more efficient and effective. 4 5 6 7 6

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