Almost One Year Later: How Community Foundation Tampa Bay Is Preparing for Hurricane Response

With a new hurricane season upon us, Community Foundation Tampa Bay is spreading the word about the systems and resources we have in place to prepare and support our community.

Our Strategy: Relief and Recovery

Following hurricanes Helene and Milton, Community Foundation Tampa Bay executed a strategic approach to disaster response, supporting both immediate relief and long-term recovery. This dual-phase strategy ensures that urgent needs are met promptly while also laying the groundwork for sustainable rebuilding. Immediate relief efforts support nonprofits addressing urgent needs such as shelter and food, while recovery focuses on rebuilding infrastructure and restoring critical services over the long term.  

Implementing a Swift Response

In the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes, the Community Foundation mobilized resources swiftly and provided a central hub for those who wished to offer support. We activated The Tampa Bay Rapid Response Fund, which aided in the rapid distribution of nearly $2 million in urgent relief funding within the first month. During this time, Community Foundation Tampa Bay was able to support organizations like Feeding Tampa Bay, Metropolitan Ministries, Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay (now Rebuilding Together Greater Florida), Community Food Bank of Citrus County, and 360 Eats, which were providing essential services, like food, blankets, and shelter. Local nonprofits were also able to request urgent support for hurricane-related needs through the Critical Needs List.  

In the subsequent months, an additional $3 million was granted, totaling over $5 million in hurricane response since hurricane Milton swept through the region. The generosity of our community was never more evident than during the months that followed the storms: many of our fundholders quickly offered financial support to help others despite their own personal losses.

Continuing to Promote Ongoing Recovery and Resiliency Efforts

Recovery continues: funding was granted from Community Foundation Tampa Bay for hurricane-related needs as recently as last week, with nonprofits continuing to ask for repairs and resources as they rebuild. Many families remain displaced, and our community continues to address the long-term effects. Through grants and partnerships, the foundation aids nonprofits in building resilient systems that promote healing and stability. From supporting programs that address mental health concerns related to the hurricanes, or helping children—the future leaders of Tampa Bay—continue to receive quality education, Community Foundation Tampa Bay is committed to distributing recovery funds strategically.

Creating Space for Thoughtful Leadership

A few months after the storms, the Community Foundation convened Tampa Bay’s philanthropic leaders to focus on proactive disaster giving—an essential strategy as we enter another hurricane season. Keynote speaker Patricia McIlreavy, President & CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, emphasized that true resilience begins long before a storm hits.

Preparing for This Season

To further strengthen community resilience in anticipation future hurricanes, Community Foundation Tampa Bay has provided additional grant funding to Rebuilding Together Greater Florida, whose work equips vulnerable families with the tools and resources they need to better withstand future storms. Through this grant, Rebuilding Together is providing critical home repairs, distributing hurricane preparedness kits, and creating personalized disaster plans for low-income households across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties. This initiative directly enhances structural safety and preparedness for families who are often most at risk during disasters, reinforcing our region’s resilience from the ground up.

Additional resources are available for donors who want to give proactively. We encourage local philanthropists to explore the Critical Needs List which is updated regularly with new opportunities to support urgent community priorities. Giving directly to Community Foundation’s Tampa Bay Rapid Response Fund, will also provide a way to quickly mobilize food, shelter, and repairs if another storm impacts our region. For those wishing to aid specific nonprofits with hurricane-related needs, setting up a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) through the Community Foundation ensures their giving is timely, targeted, and impactful.

For more information, visit cftampabay.org.