Flood Response
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil · activated twice · partner: named local response network
What it is
A standing reserve that releases cash grants, drinking water and bedding to displaced households within 72 hours of an evacuation order, through a local response network that was already on the ground.
Why we fund it this way
Most emergency money arrives after the appeal, which means it arrives in week three. The families who lost everything needed it in day two. Holding an unrestricted reserve is unglamorous and it is the entire point of this project.
What we got wrong
On the first activation we shipped supplies from São Paulo, which took four days and cost more than buying locally would have. On the second we sent cash to the local network and let them purchase within the region. Faster, cheaper, and it kept money in the affected economy.
Quarterly breakdown
The full year.
Budget
Where the $41,500 went.
| Line | Detail | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cash grants | 380 households | $26,600 |
| Water and bedding | Locally procured | $9,800 |
| Transport and logistics | Regional | $3,400 |
| First activation freight | São Paulo shipping, since discontinued | $1,700 |
| Total | Cost per household $109 | $41,500 |
A cash grant, drinking water and bedding delivered inside three days. A $500 gift covers almost five households in the window that matters most.
On location