Do you have an action plan in place if something unexpected happens? If not, it’s time to think about creating one. An action plan can help you respond quickly and effectively when dealing with a crisis or other unanticipated event. A charity action plan is also known as an emergency response plan or disaster preparedness plan. It’s a document that outlines your organization’s response to different situations and lists the steps staff must take to react appropriately in the event of a crisis. With the potential for natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes increasing each year, charities need to adopt an action plan sooner rather than later. Whether you work for a small nonprofit or are simply interested in pursuing volunteer opportunities with a charitable organization, here are 5 tips that will get your charity action plan ready for an emergency:
Create a Communication Protocol
Communication is key during any emergency, so the priority of your action plan should be to explicitly define a communication protocol. When a crisis occurs, it’s important to have a plan that outlines who needs to be contacted and how they should be contacted. Your action plan should include details like the type of communication system you’ll use (i.e., phone, email, SMS), who needs to be notified, and what information they need to know. Your communication protocol should be detailed enough to help your organization respond appropriately to a range of different situations. It should cover a variety of different scenarios, such as a natural disaster, a workplace injury, or a break-in. You should also consider how your organization will communicate with the public if you’re involved in a crisis. Your action plan should include a list of internal and external phone numbers and an emergency contact email address for donors.
Assign Staffing Responsibilities
The next thing you should do when creating a charity action plan is to assign staffing responsibilities. Regardless of the size of your organization, each person who works at your nonprofit should have a clearly defined role during an emergency. You should include details like each person’s title, assigned tasks, and a description of their role during an emergency in the action plan. You should name at least one person responsible for monitoring emergency communication channels, such as a local news channel, emergency broadcast system, or your local government’s website. You should also designate a person responsible for managing the flow of incoming donations and volunteers.
Identify Points of Contact
Points of contact are individuals within your organization responsible for handling specific situations, such as a severe weather events, a pandemic, or an earthquake. Identify several important points of contact within your action plan, such as a person responsible for monitoring, keeping track of, and updating your organization’s supply chain. This individual will make sure your organization has access to the necessary supplies and resources during a crisis, such as food, water, and medical supplies. Another important point of contact to include in your action plan is a person who is tasked with sourcing information from local or federal agencies. This person will be responsible for monitoring the media, including any reports of a natural disaster or public health emergency. They’ll also be tasked with staying in touch with public health and government officials.
Establish a Donor Communication Strategy
When a crisis occurs, you’ll likely experience an increase in donations. This is a good problem to have, but it can also create issues for nonprofit organizations if donors aren’t satisfied with the communication they receive from your organization. You may receive so many donations that you struggle to process them all and find a place for them or there may be so many false claims that it’s difficult to verify them all. Establish a donor communication strategy for handling an increase in donations during a crisis. Your action plan should include details about how you’re going to communicate with donors, how often you’re going to communicate with donors, and what information you’re going to share with donors.
Plan for Volunteer Response
During a crisis, it’s likely that your organization will receive requests for assistance from volunteers. Whether you’re dealing with a natural disaster or a public health emergency, you’ll likely receive offers to help from concerned citizens. Create a plan for handling these requests and communicating with volunteers. Your action plan should include details like how you’re going to handle requests for assistance, how volunteers can report their availability to help, and the types of assistance you’re authorized to accept. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to accept all offers of help. You may not have the capacity to accommodate all offers, so you’ll need to carefully evaluate each request. You should only accept assistance from volunteers who have the necessary skills to contribute to your organization’s efforts effectively. Remember, responses to crises are unpredictable. You never know when the next natural disaster or public health emergency will occur. Therefore, your organization must be prepared for any situation by following these 5 tips to get your charity action plan ready for an emergency.
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