The ongoing situation in Ukraine is shocking and tragic.

With the demand for social services already at an all-time high, we’ve seen poverty levels, food insecurity, and other important social issues continue to rise throughout the pandemic — leaving too many of our most vulnerable in need, and this is a devastating reminder that our neighbors (near and far) still need help.

I, like all the world watching, hope this tragedy comes to a swift end, and I hope that in the coming days, all our friends and colleagues that are directly impacted by this situation find peace and safety.

This violation of the world’s peace has outraged friends, family, and colleagues in all countries, across all borders. This is a deeply emotional and human time. With relief efforts underway in small and large ways all around the world, this is the time for not just social good organizations to come together and help in any way we can, but for corporations and citizens as well.

Nonprofits and public sector organizations are relied upon to deliver extraordinary impact. We need to make sure they have every tool available to them, including the same caliber of technology and data that private-sector businesses have been using to unleash impact for years. My hope is that, together, we will break down barriers so that all community-based organizations are equally able to harness the power of technology and data to amplify the impact of their work.

As the CEO of Bonterra, a social good technology company, we are actively supporting our clients who are, or will be, mobilizing to support the situation. It is imperative we act with resolve and speed on these efforts - it is a role we get to play as a social good organization to impact the situation. Some of our efforts include:

• Identifying a list of nonprofit organizations that are “on the ground” in Ukraine and that our clients can give to immediately through our platforms. Partner organizations we support have raised over $22 million to date toward relief efforts.
• Continuing to support nonprofits that are raising funds for their International/European branches, and our pharmaceutical and Biotech corporate clients are mobilizing supply lines and teams to reach the situation - both on the ground in Ukraine and in support of the looming refugee crisis.
• Speaking with clients about their current relief activities and learning about their plans to make an impact.

As a social good software platform formed through the combination of CyberGrants, EveryAction, Social Solutions, and Network for Good, we have also come together to support the growing needs of our Ukrainian neighbors in need. In response to the rapidly changing situation, we have provided advance payment to our contractors so that they have emergency financial resources if needed. We will continue to work to understand how we can best support any of our colleagues in need. We have also put in place business continuity plans to mitigate risk to our clients and our business so that our Ukrainian colleagues can prioritize their safety.

We are committed to supporting our Ukrainian neighbors in need. Here are some suggestions for ways you can support Ukraine, whether you’re a leader at a social good organization or outside of the social good space:

• If you are a nonprofit working in case management - integrating disaster relief into your corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy will allow your company to be better equipped to execute scalable and sustainable response initiatives.
• If you are a foundation focused on fundraising or the CSR space - one of the easiest ways to take immediate action is through monetary donations to nonprofits that provide humanitarian assistance.
• If you are an employer looking to support your teams/employees - recognize the challenges that this, on top of other recent world events, has had on employees and provide employee assistance resources to help get them the support they need. In addition, show your commitment as an organization by offering a dollar-for-dollar matching program for employee donations to achieve maximum social impact and help more people affected by the crisis.

Finally, if you are looking for other ways you can personally help – here are some additional Meaningful Ways You Can Support Ukraine.