Economic Impact & Leakage Analysis
Measuring economic flows in disaster relief to identify inefficiencies and maximize beneficiary impact.
Overview
Understanding where relief funds actually go—and where they fail to reach intended beneficiaries—is essential for improving humanitarian effectiveness. Our economic research traces financial flows through relief systems, identifying points of leakage and opportunities for efficiency gains.
Key Research Questions
- What proportion of disaster relief funding reaches direct beneficiaries, and how does this vary by relief model?
- How do procurement practices affect the economic impact of relief spending on affected communities?
- What are the long-term economic effects of different relief and recovery approaches?
Current Projects
Relief Fund Flow Analysis
Comprehensive tracking of disaster relief funding from initial donation through multiple organizational layers to final expenditure, identifying systemic inefficiencies.
Local Procurement Impact Study
Measuring the economic multiplier effects of local versus international procurement in disaster response, with implications for policy and practice.
Recovery Investment Optimization
Developing frameworks for evaluating recovery investments based on long-term economic and social returns rather than short-term outputs.
Publications
Our economic research provides evidence for more effective resource allocation in disaster response. View all economics publications →
Collaboration Opportunities
We partner with relief organizations, development banks, and academic economists to improve understanding of disaster relief economics.