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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Natalie E. Wiza, Emergency Management Coordinator
DATE: June 12, 2025
SUBJECT:
Requesting authorization for the Emergency Management Coordinator to enter into agreements with nonprofits and non-governmental organizations for emergency and disaster relief services and support.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this resolution is to authorize the Emergency Management Coordinator to enter into formal agreements with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations to support emergency and disaster relief operations. These agreements are intended to strengthen coordination, improve the delivery of critical services, and ensure a unified response to all-hazard incidents affecting the community. By establishing these partnerships in advance, Aurora aims to enhance preparedness, expedite recovery, and build a more resilient and responsive emergency management system.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Aurora, Illinois, through its Emergency Management Agency is responsible for coordinating emergency and disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts across all sectors of the community. During emergencies and disasters, nonprofit and non-governmental organizations play a critical and complementary role by delivering essential services such as shelter, food, medical care, mental health support, donations management, and volunteer coordination.
Formalizing partnerships with external organizations in advance of an incident ensures more effective collaboration, clearer roles and responsibilities, and faster mobilization of resources when disaster strikes. Such agreements strengthen the community’s resilience and improve outcomes for residents during times of crisis.
In accordance with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act (20 ILCS 3305) and the City of Aurora Chapter 14 Code of Ordinances, Aurora Emergency Management Agency has the authority to coordinate with public and private entities to carry out emergency functions. This resolution authorizes the Emergency Management Coordinator to enter into formal agreements with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations to enhance the delivery of emergency and disaster relief services throughout the jurisdiction.
DISCUSSION:
Establishing formal agreements with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations for mass care and disaster relief services offers substantial benefits to the community, partners, and the city.
For the community, these agreements help ensure equitable, timely, and coordinated access to life-sustaining services such as sheltering, feeding, and basic health and human services during emergencies and disasters. They also enhance service delivery to at-risk and underserved populations by clearly outlining how community-based organizations can support inclusive and accessible care.
For nonprofit and non-governmental partners, agreements provide clarity on roles, responsibilities, and resource commitments before an incident occurs. This advance coordination helps reduce duplication of efforts, facilitates access to local emergency coordination systems, and strengthens organizational readiness. Written agreements improve partner understanding of local expectations and help align capabilities with jurisdictional needs.
For the city, these agreements expand operational capacity and ensure a more efficient and effective mass care response by incorporating experienced partners into emergency planning and execution. They support compliance with emergency management standards, improve coordination during Emergency Operations Center activations, and strengthen the jurisdiction’s ability to request and justify state and federal assistance. Furthermore, agreements serve as documentation of pre-disaster coordination, which is recognized as a best practice for eligibility under reimbursement programs and disaster declarations.
Ultimately, these formalized partnerships help build a more resilient, coordinated, and inclusive emergency management framework across all phases of the disaster cycle.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Failure to approve this resolution would limit the Emergency Management Agency’s ability to proactively coordinate with nonprofit organizations, resulting in delayed or fragmented delivery of critical mass care services during emergencies and disasters. Without formal agreements, the city risks unclear roles, duplication of efforts, and missed opportunities to leverage whole community and partner capabilities in response and recovery support.
Additionally, the absence of documented coordination may impact the jurisdiction’s eligibility for federal or state reimbursement and reduce trust and preparedness across the community. This could disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, increase the burden on government resources, and weaken the overall effectiveness of emergency response and recovery operations.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is recommended that this resolution is approved and authorizes the Emergency Management Coordinator to enter into formal agreements with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, ensuring a coordinated, efficient, and equitable delivery of emergency and disaster relief services.
cc: Public Health, Safety, and Transportation Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution authorizing the Emergency Management Coordinator to enter into agreements with non-profit and non-governmental organizations for emergency and disaster relief services and support.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora, Illinois recognizes the critical importance of coordinated response and recovery efforts in the event of emergencies or disasters; and
WHEREAS, nonprofit and non-governmental organizations serve a vital role in providing humanitarian aid, shelter, logistical support, resource distribution, volunteer coordination, and recovery assistance to residents impacted by emergencies and disasters; and
WHEREAS, collaboration with nonprofit and non-governmental partners enhances the community’s capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from all-hazard incidents in a timely and effective manner; and
WHEREAS, the Emergency Management Coordinator seeks to formalize partnerships with non-profit and non-governmental organizations through memorandum of agreement to ensure timely coordination and delivery of services during emergencies or disasters; and
WHEREAS, Section 5/11 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act (20 ILCS 3305/11) authorizes local emergency management agencies to enter into agreements with public and private agencies to carry out emergency management functions; and
WHEREAS, Section 14-3 (b)(8) of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances authorizes the Emergency Management Coordinator to facilitate and enter into agreements with whole community partners to strengthen preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts and participating during emergencies and disaster affecting the city, and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
1. Authorization: The Emergency Management Coordinator, or his or her designee, is hereby authorized to enter into and execute agreements using the approved memorandum of agreement presented with this resolution for the purposes of supporting preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities.
2. Scope: These non-binding agreements do not include funding. They may include, but are not limited to, provisions related to disaster relief operations, sheltering, donations and volunteer management, logistics and supply chain distribution, mental health and human services, and other emergency and disaster support functions as needed.
3. Compliance: All agreements shall be executed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, and will not have to be reviewed by the City of Aurora legal counsel prior to finalization unless revisions are made to this approved template.
4. Effective Date: This resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval as provided by law.