84 million people are currently displaced worldwide. This number is expected to quadruple by 2050, largely due to conflict and climate change. Even before the war in Ukraine, there were massive budget shortfalls in the aid sector. In 2021, international donors provided $17.2 billion for humanitarian aid, less than half of what was needed. But even a large increase in funding would not solve the problem. The aid sector wasn't designed to meet the protracted, complex emergencies that are displacing so many people today. The sector is inherently slow, inefficient, and siloed. Organizations spend between 60-80% of humanitarian funding on logistics. Needs are currently gathered through email, spreadsheets, and calls. This lack of coordination disproportionately affects vulnerable communities. The private sector is eager to support in times of crisis, but, in absence of clear directives on what's needed, don't know where or how to help efficiently. We need new solutions to support a system of aid that are tech-enabled, cut across sectors, and are scalable to keep up with the rapid pace of growing crisis.

RespondLocal from Needslist is a crisis coordination software designed to aggregate needs from multiple organizations on the ground and match them to offers from NGOs and the private sector. From the Syrian refugee emergency in Europe to multiple hurricanes in North America to global COVID-19 response to refugee resettlement in the United States, NeedsList's software has been built with, and used by, those who are responding to crises. Over the last six years, NeedsList's tools have been implemented in over 20 countries, facilitating the distribution of more than $25 million worth of resources to vulnerable communities from companies such as Google (through the Welcome Exchange), Amazon, TripAdvisor, and IKEA.