Volunteer: Stakeholder Research

This is a volunteer opportunity provided by Taproot Foundation, a nonprofit creating social change through pro bono connections.

We are looking for a volunteer who can conduct a stakeholder research initiative for our World Cares Center. Our organization needs a clear vision of who we are trying to engage in our programming, fundraising, and partnership efforts. We are hopeful that intentional research on our organization’s core stakeholders can help ensure that our messaging hits all the right marks. This project will include: gathering and analyzing information about target demographics, ideal forms of outreach, and/or what worked well or not during past outreach drives.

This research could include digging into what our expected stakeholders are reading, who they’re influenced by, where they live, and demographic details. Your research could also fuel the work of building user personas: a mock‑up of your organization’s ideal individual donor, corporate partner, hands‑on volunteer, or foundation partner. By synthesizing this information, you will empower our team to make better, data‑backed decisions on how to progress toward our mission’s goals.

Emergency management is entering a transformative new era—and in this time of great change, World Cares Center (WCC) must be the north star guiding our path forward. The President’s recent Executive Order on Decentralizing Federal Disaster Response marks a pivotal moment for our nation, as FEMA redefines its core mission to focus more on support than direct response, realign regional footprints, consolidate overlapping functions, and rebalance roles between the federal government and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) entities.

As FEMA Administrator Hamilton aptly stated, “Our job is to help our partners be prepared—not to lead every disaster. We must build capacity at the state and local levels and be ready to support from behind.” This policy shift emphasizes the critical importance of local leadership, financial autonomy, and efficient, collaborative disaster management. It is here that the role of World Cares Center’s programs, especially the Collaborative Disaster Volunteer Credential and its framework, becomes even more crucial.

The demand for our specialized training and support continues to rise, with communities across the country eager to enhance their disaster preparedness and response capabilities. However, the funds necessary to sustain and expand our programs have not kept pace with this increasing need. Without the financial backing to scale our efforts, we risk falling short of meeting the urgent demands of the very communities that rely on us to navigate the complex landscape of disaster management.

Your support of World Cares Center is not only an investment in disaster readiness; it is a commitment to building stronger, more resilient communities. We are at the forefront of empowering local leaders and organizations to take charge of their own disaster response, ensuring that we are all better equipped to respond quickly and effectively when crises strike. We respectfully ask for your generous contribution to help us continue and expand our vital work.

With your support, we can ensure that local communities are fully prepared, equipped, and ready to lead the way in disaster response, in alignment with the critical policy shifts that are reshaping the emergency management landscape.

To prepare for this project, we have outlined who we believe our current core audiences are and who our aspirational audiences will be. You will have a dedicated team member to work with on this project. We plan to implement the results of this research project by applying for grants, contract services as well as partnership opportunities.

World Cares Center Mission:
World Cares Center was founded in the midst of the 9/11 relief effort to provide training and support to responders and disaster volunteers. Since 9‑11 our service have expanded across the globe.