Saturday, May 17, 2014

Funding Opportunity: William Averette Anderson Fund (Bill Anderson Fund)

v William Averette Anderson Fund

The William Averette Anderson Fund, fondly called the Bill Anderson Fund, serves as a conduit between entities (institutions, organizations and agencies) that serve to educate and nurture individuals of color in such fields as, but not limited to, engineering, earth science, sociology, urban planning, public administration and public health: and entities that provide graduate education and employ specialists in hazard and disaster mitigation.  The focus is to significantly increase the persons of color who perform research, are educators, practitioners and research funders in hazard and disaster mitigation. 

The Fund’s focus on one of Bill’s major long-held concerns, expressed to Norma throughout his professional career, and which is captured in the two documents referenced below. First, the National Research Council of the National Academies 2006 report, Facing Hazards and Disasters:  Understanding Human Dimensions. 

 “The report [Facing Hazards and Disasters] indicates that more diversity is needed in the social science disaster research workforce.  Because of their vulnerability, Hurricane Katrina affected many minorities, but there are few minority researchers and practitioners in the field.  A minority perspective could bring new light to issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.  Additionally, the report calls for The NSF (National Science Foundation) and other relevant agencies to take action to increase the size of the scholarly workforce in the field in order to meet future needs, especially since the workforce is aging.”

Second, documented in the International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, November 2008, Mobilization of the Black Community Following Hurricane Katrina: From Disaster Assistance to Advocacy of Social Change and Equity, William A. Anderson, National Research Council, National Academies….

“Inclusion of African Americans and other minorities could be significant because of the different perspectives that they might bring to managing disaster-related problems and conducting critical research and educational activities.”


For information:  Bill Anderson Fund, Norma@BillAndersonFund.org

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