About
SBP — now operating under the name Strongward — is a national disaster recovery nonprofit headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in March 2006 by Liz McCartney, a teacher, and Zack Rosenburg, a lawyer, who relocated from Washington, D.C. to volunteer in Hurricane Katrina recovery, the organization (long known as SBP, originally the St. Bernard Project) focuses on the long-term recovery phase that begins after immediate disaster response and relief efforts wind down. In 2025 the organization announced its rebrand: "SBP is now Strongward. Same mission. New name. Stronger future."
Mission
Strongward's stated mission is helping communities prepare for and recover from disaster, emerging stronger than before. The organization describes its niche plainly: it "steps in after the news cameras leave and immediate disaster response and relief efforts wind down," working beyond response and relief to close the gap between disaster and full recovery.
What they do
- Homeowner Recovery Services — rebuilding and repairing disaster-damaged homes, including FORTIFIED Homes construction, a Disaster Assistance Program, and a Recovery Acceleration Fund.
- Community Advisory Services — building local capacity in communities before and after disasters so recovery systems work faster and more predictably.
- The Strongward Method — an operating model adapted from Toyota's continuous-improvement problem-solving culture, which the organization credits with roughly a 50 percent reduction in rebuild time and with enabling its national expansion.
History
The organization was born in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2006, when what began as a short-term volunteer effort in St. Bernard Parish, outside New Orleans, turned into a long-term mission and a proven recovery model. Over two decades of field-tested operations it has deployed volunteers in communities including New Orleans, Houma, Baton Rouge, Houston, and Staten Island, and reports having rebuilt thousands of homes with the support of hundreds of thousands of volunteers, AmeriCorps members, donors, and staff.
Financials
According to the organization's Form 990 filings compiled by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (filed as St. Bernard Project Inc, EIN 26-2189665), the organization reported total revenue of $27.0 million, total expenses of $25.2 million, and total assets of $47.4 million for fiscal year 2024. The organization publishes its Form 990s and audited financial statements for 2019 through 2025 and annual impact reports for 2023 through 2025 on its website, and reports a four-star charity rating.
Governance
Strongward is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Co-founder Zack Rosenburg served as CEO; the fiscal year 2024 Form 990 lists Tim Brady as interim CEO and board member. The organization states a commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship, publishing its audited financials and IRS filings publicly.
