Recent natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, Cyclone Nargis (which ravaged Myanmar) and Hurricane Ike, have spurred debates about how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should respond with long-term development strategies in post-disaster communities. Such debates are particularly important given the increasing role of NGOs in development and enduring questions concerning bases of effective community development. For my dissertation, I will conduct a comparative case study of two Honduran communities destroyed by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and rebuilt by two different NGOs (the Red Cross of Honduras and Fundacion Cristo de El Picacho) in subsequent years. My doctoral research will combine field surveys, interviews, ethnography, and archival research in an analysis of the internal and external processes involved in building and developing these two communities eight years after the hurricane. I have completed much of the background research and I am seeking a SSRC International Dissertation Research Fellowship to carry out independent research in both communities in Honduras.