Washington, DC - Over the last few weeks, I’ve been contacted by many friends, colleagues, and Global Fund for Children supporters expressing concerns about exactly how the massive amounts of funding and resources for Haiti will be deployed. I wanted to take a moment to respond and share some of my thoughts on the situation.

I, too, am concerned that despite the tremendous outpouring of support in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, the resources and funds will be focused solely on large-scale organizations and projects. To be sure, a global panoply of governmental and nongovernmental organizations are vital to the short- and long-term survival of Haiti and its people. The scope and scale of this disaster requires mobilization and coordination on an unprecedented level.

But the danger in focusing global resources solely on large international entities is that as soon as the situation begins to become somewhat manageable, the vast majority of these groups will close up shop and move on to the next crisis. That is not a criticism, as this is the very model on which they operate. Nonetheless, their inevitable departure has the potential to dampen Haiti’s prognosis for long-term recovery.

As you know, here at The Global Fund for Children we believe that innovative community-based organizations, run by local leaders, are vital and effective in the wake of these kinds of disasters. Our partners in Haiti, for example, immediately reached out to the families and children they serve to ascertain their status. And they are continuing to assist and support their community as it begins the long process of grieving, recovering, and rebuilding.

Neither GFC nor its grantee partners were established to be relief organizations. Nevertheless, we have seen the power of grassroots organizations in the aftermath of tragedies on a number of occasions—armed conflict in Georgia, flooding in New Orleans, and vast destruction due to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. In each case, we supported our grantee partners—both in the immediate aftermath and, for a number of groups, over more than four years of long-range recovery.

I truly believe that an approach to recovery that includes community-based organizations in a meaningful way will be successful in rebuilding a nation that has long suffered under crippling poverty and corruption. These grassroots groups constitute the building blocks of Haiti’s civil society. No one is more invested in the long-term health and viability of the country than those who have spent their entire lives working to better the lives of children and youth, one neighborhood and community at a time.

If you are considering donating to Haitian relief, I urge you to follow the lead of our grantee partners—take immediate action, but always remain mindful of the need for a longer-term strategy and approach.