UK, 15 May – The UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) has announced a substantial two-year funding grant for MapAction. The grant totals £291,000 and follows on from a previous grant under DFID’s Conflict and Humanitarian Fund.
MapAction’s Director David Spackman commented: “This is excellent news for the charity as it provides essential financial security for our emergency mapping service, in an otherwise tough financial climate. In fact, the grant will cover an expansion of our work, which is in growing demand by our beneficiary organisations. DFID is a hard-nosed funder and their confidence in us is therefore doubly gratifying.”
The grant covers a substantial proportion of MapAction’s core costs until March 2011. However, the charity’s fundraising efforts from other sources will be accelerated to enable additional humanitarian work to be done. Plans include the expansion of MapAction’s programme of assistance to help organisations in developing countries to use GIS and related methods to reduce disaster risks.
Other MapAction donors encompass a range of grant-making trusts, corporate donors and individuals. One of the most important ‘hidden’ sources of support is the charity’s volunteer group, pivoting on thirty or so committed GIS and other professionals who give their time free of charge to deliver the emergency mapping service in response to humanitarian emergencies around the world.