On the journey to (re)build trust: Understanding how governmental and non-governmental organizations can support marginalized communities through a hazard

• Published in: International journal of disaster risk reduction 2025-01, Vol.116, p.105095, Article 105095
• Main Authors: Davis, Cassandra R., Johnson, Evan, Goldin, Simona, Griffard, Megan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Community engagement; Governmental support; Hazards; Trust
• ISSN: 2212-4209; 2212-4209
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.105095

The increase in dangers and effects of climate change worries organizations and negatively affects communities in the United States. These dangers are especially acute for marginalized groups. While organizations bring resources and help respond to events, research shows that the utility of this support hinges on the trust that communities have in such organizations. We used Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a conceptual framework to understand how organizations can improve trust between communities and agencies. We reviewed relevant literature, conducted nine focus groups of 25 total governmental, non-profit, and community respondents, and administered a pilot survey to 179 non-profit and 140 government organizations nationwide. Our results showed that organizations must push to evaluate the following internal processes: (1) assess who they serve in conjunction with who they deem is in need, (2) investigate why certain communities are more impacted than others, (3) evaluate who and how support is being provided, and (4) understand the variability around the time for building trust.