Center for Disaster Philanthropy

What it reported doing in 2025

Disaster services: to help philanthropy collaborate and be more strategic with their disaster support, cdp manages both general and disaster-specific disaster funds. Our team of program experts, with deep knowledge in domestic and international disaster philanthropy, manages funds across a range of needs before, during, and after a disaster, directing resources strategically and efficiently to help communities recover more quickly and become more resilient. In 2024, cdp managed more than 10 distinct funds including the atlantic hurricane season recovery fund, California wildfires recovery fund, domestic recovery fund, global hunger crisis fund, global recovery fund, Hawaii wildfires recovery fund, midwest early recovery fund, israel and gaza relief and recovery fund, sudan humanitarian crisis fund, tornado recovery fund, turkey and syria earthquake recovery fund, and ukraine humanitarian crisis recovery fund. Impact is assessed through analysis of grantee-reported outcomes and lessons learned as well as impact storytelling. Learnings are shared with the broader philanthropic and disaster response communities. Cdp prioritizes open, transparent communication with our grantee partners through regular check-ins, collaborative planning, and responsive support. We build strong relationships grounded in trust and mutual learning. Beyond funding, cdp provides technical assistance, capacity-building opportunities, and access to networks that strengthen resilience and impact. We offer thought leadership, share best practices, and elevate grantee voices to amplify their work. Our goal is to support long-term recovery and equitable outcomes by partnering deeply with organizations on the ground, ensuring they have the tools and support needed to respond effectively to disasters and build stronger communities. Cdp seeks to build momentum for systems change through place-based and sectoral donor coalitions. These coalitions seek to develop peer relationships among philanthropy, advance learning on community-led equitable recovery practices, and encourage the sharing of best practices and lessons learned. In 2024, cdp's strengthening local humanitarian leadership philanthropic collaborative launched the coalition for mutual aid in sudan with the aim to increase direct, flexible funding and supportive services for local sudanese mutual aid groups, empowering them to deliver essential humanitarian assistance amidst ongoing conflict and limited access by international aid agencies. Cdp also engages with donors to provide regular updates on our work and impact through email updates, sharing impact stories, and opportunities to convene in person. We foster and value deeper connections through virtual and in-person meetings to strengthen our community of impact. These gatherings provide opportunities for more personalized engagement and education to learn about specific issues or projects and to collaborate and ask questions. These types of gatherings further our mission by allowing for collective learning and collaborative impact in our effort to mobilize philanthropy for equitable disaster recovery.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 45.4%; rating input score 45
• Program expense ratio: 90.7%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $150.09 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Pass
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Pass
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 51.3%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.78; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.4%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 16.5% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 20.6% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 22.9% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings