A hierarchically porous material comprising: a) a plurality of macropores defined by a wall, wherein the macropores have a diameter of from 0.1 μm to 50 μm, wherein the macropores interconnect, forming a continuous network of pores that spans the porous material, wherein the walls of the macropores comprise a plurality of mesopores defined by a wall, wherein the mesopores have a diameter of from 2 nm to 50 nm, and wherein the walls of the macropores and mesopores comprise a continuous carbon phase; and b) a plurality of discrete nanoparticles evenly dispersed throughout the hierarchically porous material on the carbon phase of the macropores and mesopores, wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size from 1 nm up to, but not including, 1 μm, wherein the average particle size refers to the statistical mean particle size as measured using electron microscopy, and wherein the plurality of discrete nanoparticles being evenly dispersed throughout the hierarchically porous material refers to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the surface of the hierarchically porous material being substantially similar to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the interior of the hierarchically porous material, wherein the concentration of the nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the surface of the hierarchically porous material being substantially similar to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the interior of the hierarchically porous material refers to the concentration of the nanoparticles present in an interior region of the hierarchically porous material near the interior of the hierarchically porous material, measured as the weight percent of metal atoms present in the interior region of the hierarchically porous material as determined using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, being within 50% of the concentration of nanoparticle present on an exterior region of the hierarchically porous material near the surface of the hierarchically porous material, when measured as the weight percent of metal atoms present on the exterior region of the hierarchically porous material as determined using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. a) a plurality of macropores defined by a wall, wherein the macropores have a diameter of from 0.1 μm to 50 μm, wherein the macropores interconnect, forming a continuous network of pores that spans the porous material, wherein the walls of the macropores comprise a plurality of mesopores defined by a wall, wherein the mesopores have a diameter of from 2 nm to 50 nm, and wherein the walls of the macropores and mesopores comprise a continuous carbon phase; and wherein the macropores interconnect, forming a continuous network of pores that spans the porous material, wherein the walls of the macropores comprise a plurality of mesopores defined by a wall, wherein the mesopores have a diameter of from 2 nm to 50 nm, and wherein the walls of the macropores and mesopores comprise a continuous carbon phase; and b) a plurality of discrete nanoparticles evenly dispersed throughout the hierarchically porous material on the carbon phase of the macropores and mesopores, wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size from 1 nm up to, but not including, 1 μm, wherein the average particle size refers to the statistical mean particle size as measured using electron microscopy, and wherein the plurality of discrete nanoparticles being evenly dispersed throughout the hierarchically porous material refers to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the surface of the hierarchically porous material being substantially similar to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the interior of the hierarchically porous material, wherein the concentration of the nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the surface of the hierarchically porous material being substantially similar to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the interior of the hierarchically porous material refers to the concentration of the nanoparticles present in an interior region of the hierarchically porous material near the interior of the hierarchically porous material, measured as the weight percent of metal atoms present in the interior region of the hierarchically porous material as determined using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, being within 50% of the concentration of nanoparticle present on an exterior region of the hierarchically porous material near the surface of the hierarchically porous material, when measured as the weight percent of metal atoms present on the exterior region of the hierarchically porous material as determined using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size from 1 nm up to, but not including, 1 μm, wherein the average particle size refers to the statistical mean particle size as measured using electron microscopy, and wherein the plurality of discrete nanoparticles being evenly dispersed throughout the hierarchically porous material refers to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the surface of the hierarchically porous material being substantially similar to the concentration of nanoparticles deposited on the carbon phase near the interior of the hierarchically porous material,