Who funds Disaster Relief & Emergency Response nationally

When disaster strikes, nonprofits on the ground need money fast. But knowing which funders actually move resources into emergency response before you're in crisis mode is the difference between scrambling and having a real plan. The funders below have made disaster relief and emergency response a genuine priority in their giving. Here's what their actual giving looks like.

Aarp

Aarp distributes over $1.7 billion annually across a wide range of causes, and disaster relief and emergency response is a meaningful part of that portfolio. Their giving spans community development, elder care, social justice, and technology, but they show up consistently for emergency response work. Typical grants run around $25,000. This is a funder with real scale and staying power in the space. See their profile

Ndn Collective

Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, Ndn Collective distributes about $51 million annually with a sharp focus on community-led solutions. Disaster relief and emergency response sits alongside their work in social justice, economic empowerment, and civic engagement. They fund with an explicit commitment to Indigenous-led and community-centered approaches. Typical grants are around $20,000. See their profile

Liftfund Inc

Liftfund, headquartered in San Antonio, distributes roughly $40 million a year, with disaster relief and emergency response as a core funding area alongside economic development and community housing. Their giving reflects a focus on resilience and recovery in underserved communities. Typical grants run around $17,500. See their profile

Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation

Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation is smaller in scale, distributing about $3.7 million annually, but they've made a deliberate commitment to disaster relief and emergency response alongside health and clinical services. Their typical grant is around $5,000. If you're doing emergency response work in or near Iowa, they're worth knowing. See their profile

Pedigree Foundation

Based in Franklin, Tennessee, Pedigree Foundation distributes roughly $1.1 million annually. Their giving spans disaster relief, animal welfare, environment, and human services. They're a smaller funder, with typical grants around $5,000, but they show up reliably for emergency response work, particularly when it intersects with animal welfare. See their profile

Knowing these funders now, before you need them, means you can build real relationships with program officers and be on their radar when disaster does strike. If there's a funder relationship in this space you want Funding Findr to keep an eye on, let us know.

Funding Findr is a fundraising & development operating system for people who are on the ground doing the work. Enterprise-grade funder intelligence, grant listings with no dead links, built for nonprofits. Start for free at fundingfindr.co.