Advocating for Change

We're not just rebuilding lives; we're reshaping the future of disaster recovery. Through people-centered, evidence-based advocacy, we're driving policy change, strengthening systems, and setting benchmarks to ensure that the US disaster recovery system effectively, fairly, and efficiently meets the needs of all survivors, everywhere.

Connect with our team to learn more about our advocacy initiatives

How Our Advocate Program Works

SBP’s mission is to shrink the time between disaster and recovery. More than 18 years of recovery experience in communities across the country has shown us that disaster survivors have a breaking point. When recovery assistance is delayed and unpredictable, survivors suffer unnecessarily. SBP advocates for innovation and policy reform at the local, state, and federal levels to streamline the recovery process and ensure that it efficiently, predictably, and effectively meets the needs of all survivors, everywhere.

Policy Recommendations

Recovery Acceleration Fund

Addressing the long wait for HUD funds, this initiative enables philanthropic and private investment to provide immediate home repairs for low- to moderate-income families, who are later reimbursed by HUD CDBG-DR programs, effectively eliminating the two-year delay for those in need.

FEMA Remote Damage Assessment

To overcome the slow and biased traditional damage assessment methods, we propose that FEMA adopt advanced flyover, satellite, big data, and image-to-scope technology and methods similar to those used by the insurance industry for rapid, consistent, and accurate damage evaluations.

OneApp

There are many types of federal assistance available to disaster survivors from different federal agencies such as FEMA, SBA, and HUD. Each requires a separate, lengthy application process. SBP is advocating for the passage of Congressionally introduced bills like the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act to simplify and streamline the recovery process for survivors by creating one federal assistance application for use across numerous agencies.

For more details on our Advocate program, download our Fact Sheet.

Who We Serve

SBP’s advocacy initiatives aim to ensure a faster, better, more efficient disaster recovery system that meets the needs of all disaster survivors everywhere.

"Across the country, SBP works tirelessly to reduce the time between disaster and recovery for survivors and communities. The Disaster Assistance Simplification Act will streamline federal assistance and drastically reduce the burden of application for survivors. America’s confusing and frustrating disaster recovery framework prevents many survivors from receiving or even requesting help..."

Reese May,

Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer

“We see this happen time and time again. Disaster-affected communities and disaster survivors cannot count on timely federal assistance and, when it is available, they struggle to navigate red tape and recover quickly…”

Pamela Hughes Patenaude,

The Bipartisan Policy Center Task Force Co-Chair

“Across the country, SBP works tirelessly to reduce the time between disaster and recovery for survivors and communities,” said Reese May, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of SBP. “The Disaster Assistance Simplification Act will streamline federal assistance and drastically reduce the burden of application for survivors in need. America’s framework for disaster recovery is confusing and frustrating and it prevents many survivors from receiving the help they need – or even requesting the assistance at all...”

BPC Relaunches Task Force to Improve Federal Disaster Assistance