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Annex D, Online Resources

How to use: This annex groups together the websites, portals and reference documents essential for disaster preparation and response. Test these links BEFORE a disaster. Add them to your browser favorites. The URLs were valid at the time of publication. If a link is broken, search for the exact title on the parent site.

1. MyRotary, The central portal

The MyRotary portal (my.rotary.org) is the entry point for all online Rotary operations. Every Rotarian must have an active account there.

  • MyRotary, Home (my.rotary.org), Central Rotary portal. Access to grants, training, and club management tools.

  • Grant Center (my.rotary.org/en/take-action/apply-grants), Submission and tracking of grants: District Grants, Global Grants, Disaster Response Grants (DRG). The DRG is submitted here via the GMS.

  • Disaster Response Fund (my.rotary.org/en/disaster-response-fund), Page dedicated to the Disaster Response Fund. Allows direct donations to the DRF. Share this link in your fundraising communications.

  • Rotary Showcase (my.rotary.org/en/secure/showcase), Showcase of Rotary projects worldwide. Publish your disaster operation there to inspire other clubs and attract international partners.

  • Club Finder (my.rotary.org/en/search/club-finder), Find a Rotary partner club anywhere in the world. Indispensable for identifying a Host Club for a Global Grant.

  • Grant Tracker (my.rotary.org, Grants, Grant Tracker), Track the status of your ongoing grants: submitted, approved, funds disbursed, report expected.

  • Brand Center (brandcenter.rotary.org), Logos, graphic charters and official Rotary communication materials. To be used for all your press releases and visual media.

2. Rotary Action Groups (RAGs), Websites

  • DNA-RAG, Disaster Network of Assistance (dna-rag.com). Disaster response coordination. Trained assessors, field guides, online training, inter-tier coordination. First RAG to contact in case of a disaster. Contact: via the website or via your DRO.

  • WASH-RAG, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (wash-rag.org). Expertise in drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in emergency and development situations. Water filtration projects, well repair, latrine construction.

  • ESRAG, Environmental Sustainability (esrag.org). Environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, sustainable reconstruction. Resources on climate resilience.

  • RAGFP, Rotary Action Group for Peace (rotaryactiongroupforpeace.org). Peacebuilding, conflict resolution, mediation. Intervenes where natural disasters and conflicts overlap.

  • RAGCED, Rotary Action Group for Community Economic Development (ragced.org). Community economic development, post-disaster economic reconstruction. Resources on microfinance, vocational training and recovery of local markets.

3. Rotary training and learning

  • Rotary Learning Center (my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference), Rotary's online training platform. Courses on grants, project management, leadership. Includes specific modules on disaster response. Free for all Rotarians.

  • Disaster Response Training (dna-rag.com, Training section), Online and in-person training offered by DNA-RAG: rapid assessment, crisis coordination, volunteer management, disaster stewardship.

  • Disaster Recovery Playbook (available via my.rotary.org or upon request to DNA-RAG), Strategic RI guide for disaster response. Covers the roles of each tier, funding mechanisms and best practices. Institutional reference document.

  • Grant Management Seminar (organized by each District annually), Mandatory seminar for clubs wishing to receive TRF grants. Covers submission procedures, financial management and stewardship. Check the dates with your DRFC.

  • Sendai Framework for DRR (preventionweb.net/sendai-framework), Global framework 2015-2030 for disaster risk reduction. Reference for understanding the international approach to preparedness and prevention.

4. United Nations, Disaster resources

  • UNDRR, UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (undrr.org). Global data on disasters, Sendai Framework, risk reduction tools. DesInventar database for disaster statistics by country.

  • ReliefWeb (reliefweb.int), Largest source of humanitarian information in the world. Situation reports, maps, country-by-country and disaster-by-disaster analyses. Indispensable for documenting needs in a Global Grant application.

  • OCHA, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (unocha.org). International humanitarian coordination. Financial Tracking Service (FTS) to track humanitarian funding flows. Country alerts and bulletins.

  • UNICEF, Emergency Response (unicef.org/emergencies), Humanitarian response for children. Data on emergency education, nutrition and child protection needs. Potential partner for Global Grants affecting children.

  • WFP, World Food Programme (wfp.org). Emergency food aid. Data on food insecurity by country. Reference food logistics.

  • WHO, World Health Organization (who.int/emergencies). Health response to disasters. Epidemiological alerts, health data by country, emergency medical protocols.

  • UNHCR, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (unhcr.org). Protection of refugees and displaced persons. Data on population displacement. Intervenes when a disaster causes cross-border movements.

  • PreventionWeb (preventionweb.net), Knowledge platform on disaster risk reduction. Reports, statistics, risk assessment tools by country.

5. Humanitarian standards

  • Sphere Handbook (spherestandards.org), Global reference for minimum standards in humanitarian response. Covers 4 areas: WASH, food, shelter, health. Key figures: 15 L of water/person/day, 3.5 m² of covered space/person, 2,100 kcal/person/day. Freely available online in French and English.

  • Core Humanitarian Standard, CHS (corehumanitarianstandard.org), 9 commitments defining quality and accountability in humanitarian response. Reference guide for structuring operations and reports.

  • Code of Conduct, Red Cross / NGO (ifrc.org, Code of Conduct section), Ethical principles for humanitarian organizations: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence. To be known and respected by every Rotarian engaged in disaster response.

6. Rotary strategic partners

  • ShelterBox (shelterbox.org), Official RI project partner. Provides emergency shelter kits (tent, blankets, utensils, water filters) worldwide. Activable via local Rotary clubs or via DNA-RAG. Rotary page: shelterbox.org/rotary

  • ShelterBox, Current deployments (shelterbox.org/disasters), Map of active deployments. Allows you to know whether ShelterBox is already present on the ground before launching a request.

  • Disaster Aid International (disasteraid.org), Rotarian international disaster response network. Trains rapid Disaster Aid Response Teams. Provides adaptable aid kits. Present in more than 20 countries.

  • Habitat for Humanity (habitat.org), Construction and reconstruction of housing. Potential partner for recovery phases via Global Grant. Expertise in participatory construction with communities.

  • Water Mission (watermission.org), Emergency and long-term drinking water systems. Frequent WASH-RAG partner for water system filtration and rehabilitation projects after disasters.

  • Aqua Clara International (aquaclara.org), Biosand water filters and purification systems. WASH-RAG partner for rapid deployment of drinking water solutions in disaster areas.

7. Practical tools

  • Google Crisis Map (google.org/crisismap), Real-time maps of ongoing disasters: floods, earthquakes, hurricanes. Useful for SITREPs and rapid assessments.

  • GDACS, Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (gdacs.org). Global alert system. Sends automatic alerts for earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones. Classified by severity level (green, orange, red).

  • HDX, Humanitarian Data Exchange (data.humdata.org). UN humanitarian data platform. Demographic, health and infrastructure data by country. Useful for planning a Global Grant or documenting a DRG application.

  • What3Words (what3words.com), Addressing system using 3 words covering every 3 m × 3 m square on Earth. Useful for locating a distribution point or assessment site when addresses do not exist or are destroyed.

  • OpenStreetMap (openstreetmap.org), Free collaborative mapping. In a disaster situation, the OpenStreetMap community (HOT, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team) rapidly maps affected areas.

8. Institutional sources cited in this book

The figures, standards and procedures in this book are based on public institutional sources. Full references:

Humanitarian standards

  • Sphere Handbook 2018, The Sphere Project / Sphere Association. Reference: spherestandards.org. Minimum standards WASH, shelter, nutrition, health. 2018 edition, revision planned 2024-2025.
  • Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), CHS Alliance, Sphere, Groupe URD. Reference: corehumanitarianstandard.org. 9 commitments on quality and accountability.
  • Code of Conduct for the Red Cross / Red Crescent / NGOs, IFRC. Reference: ifrc.org/document/code-conduct.

Disaster data and alert systems

  • EM-DAT, The International Disaster Database, Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), UCLouvain. Reference: emdat.be. Worldwide disaster classification used for families A to F in chapter 26.
  • USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, U.S. Geological Survey. Reference: earthquake.usgs.gov. Earthquake and landslide data.
  • NOAA / NHC, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / National Hurricane Center. Reference: nhc.noaa.gov. Hurricane and tsunami data.
  • WMO, World Meteorological Organization. Reference: wmo.int. Meteorological definitions and alerts.
  • GDACS, Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (UN OCHA + European JRC). Reference: gdacs.org. Multi-hazard alert system.
  • UNDRR / PreventionWeb, UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Reference: undrr.org and preventionweb.net. Sendai Framework 2015-2030.

Health and food

  • WHO Psychological First Aid Guide, World Health Organization, War Trauma Foundation, World Vision International (2011). Reference: who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548205. Look-Listen-Link method.
  • NIOSH 42 CFR 84 / EN 149, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (USA) / European Standard. FFP2 and N95 respirator standards.
  • IPC, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Reference: ipcinfo.org. Famine classification in 5 phases.
  • FAO SOFI 2024, State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World. Reference: fao.org/publications/sofi.
  • WFP GRFC 2024, Global Report on Food Crises. Reference: wfp.org / fightfoodcrises.net.

Humanitarian coordination

  • OCHA, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Reference: unocha.org. Cluster system (11 official clusters).
  • IASC, Inter-Agency Standing Committee. Reference: interagencystandingcommittee.org. Cluster approach 2005.
  • CALP Network, Cash Learning Partnership. Reference: calpnetwork.org. Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA).
  • ReliefWeb, UN OCHA. Reference: reliefweb.int. Humanitarian reports.

Rotary references

  • Rotary International, websites rotary.org and my.rotary.org. Membership data, structure, policy, manuals.
  • Disaster Response Grant Terms and Conditions, The Rotary Foundation. 25,000 USD cap, preemptive submission for named storms.
  • DNA-RAG bylaws and missions, Disaster Network of Assistance Rotary Action Group. Reference: dna-rag.com.
  • Lead Your District Rotary Foundation Committee Manual, Rotary International. DRFC role reference.

National response frameworks

  • ORSEC, Organisation de la Réponse de SÉcurité Civile (France). Law 2004-811 of August 13, 2004. Reference: DGSCGC.
  • ICS / NIMS, Incident Command System / National Incident Management System (USA). Reference: FEMA NIMS Doctrine 2017.
  • CDEMA, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. Reference: cdema.org.
  • INSARAG, International Search and Rescue Advisory Group. Reference: insarag.org. Guidelines 2020.

Note on official figures

All factual figures (Rotary membership, Sphere standards, DRG caps, speeds and temperatures of phenomena) cited in this book come from the institutional sources above as of the publication date. Evolving figures (Rotary membership, famine statistics, etc.) should be updated at each reprint.

9. Annual resource verification checklist

Item Checked Date By whom
MyRotary account active for all DRC members ☐ ____ ______
GMS access tested (grant submission) ☐ ____ ______
RAG links verified and contacts updated ☐ ____ ______
Sphere Handbook downloaded (latest version) ☐ ____ ______
ShelterBox and Disaster Aid contacts up to date ☐ ____ ______
Access to ReliefWeb and GDACS tested ☐ ____ ______
Rotary Learning Center training completed by key members ☐ ____ ______

Annex D, Online Resources, Rotary Club Disaster Response Book