By Jodie Riesenberger, Vice President, Community Impact, NoCo Foundation
Colorado summers invite us outside—onto trails, into campgrounds, along rivers, and across the landscapes that make this region home. But summer also brings a growing reality: wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters can disrupt lives, damage places we love, and leave communities facing needs that last long after the initial emergency ends.
In those moments, people often ask the same question: How can I help?
One powerful answer is philanthropy. Through the Northern Colorado Disaster Recovery Fund, the NoCo Foundation helps mobilize charitable resources for immediate and long-term relief and recovery needs after disaster strikes.
Our role is not to provide direct services. We serve as a trusted financial partner—receiving donations, stewarding resources, and directing funds toward community-identified needs. That structure matters because recovery is complex. Needs change over time, gaps emerge, and flexible funding can help communities respond, rebuild, and strengthen systems for the future.
The NoCo Foundation also participates in the Larimer County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, or VOAD. Through this partnership, nonprofit, government, and philanthropic leaders stay connected to immediate needs and long-term recovery efforts. During a disaster, VOAD convenes the Larimer County Long-Term Recovery Group (LTGR), bringing partners together to understand evolving challenges, coordinate resources, and identify funding gaps.
To see how this work takes shape in communities after disaster strikes, read the report exploring how LTRG funding has helped address recovery needs following recent Northern Colorado wildfires. The report highlights the important role flexible funding can play as communities navigate the long road from response to recovery.
This is where philanthropy can have lasting impact. Emergency response may last days or weeks, but recovery can take years. Philanthropy provides flexible dollars, supports the work that falls outside traditional funding streams, and helps communities move from crisis toward resilience.
In a recent episode of NoCo Voices, President & CEO Kristin Todd joined Lori Hodges, Director of the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management, and Hally Strevey, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, to discuss disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience in Northern Colorado. Their conversation reminds us that disaster recovery is not a single moment. It is a long-term, community-wide effort.
At the NoCo Foundation, we believe resilient communities require strong partnerships, trusted systems, and people willing to act when their neighbors need them most. Together, we can help Northern Colorado recover stronger and build the capacity to meet what comes next.
Disaster recovery depends on all of us. Contributions to the Northern Colorado Disaster Recovery Fund help ensure resources are available when communities face both immediate challenges and long-term recovery needs. And while recovery is important, preparedness matters too. Take a few minutes to sign up for emergency alerts at nocoalert.org so you can stay informed when it matters most.
