Guidance

Humanitarian Response Funding: guidelines for NGOs

These guidelines apply to bilateral funding to NGOs for humanitarian emergency responses and to new grants and modifications of existing grants.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
25 March 2013
Last updated
1 June 2021 — See all updates

FCDO has revised its ‘Humanitarian Response Funding Guidelines for NGOs’ with updated requirements and amended procedures to match best practice. These guidelines replace:

  • any previous editions of FCDOs Humanitarian Response Funding Guidelines for NGOs, including their templates and annexes
  • the ‘Rapid Response Facility (RRF) pre-qualified accountability guidance’
  • any previous Rapid Response Facility (RRF) guidance

These guidelines apply to bilateral funding to NGOs for humanitarian emergency responses and apply to new grants as well as modifications of existing grants. NGOs applying for humanitarian response funding should comply with this guidance and meet internationally accepted standards and good practice.

Applying for funding

Following a rapid onset, conflict or sudden spike in a chronic emergency the UK can provide funding to partners to respond. In rapid onset humanitarian emergencies or conflicts, FCDO’s immediate funding is likely to be through the multilateral system or to RRF partners. This guidance applies to all methods of bilateral funding for NGOs.

Our decision-making process

A range of factors are considered to inform decisions on humanitarian engagement, including the:

  • estimated humanitarian impact of the events
  • capacity of the affected country
  • reaction of other donors
  • UK perspectives and considerations
  • assessment of a non-prescriptive framework with a clear set of criteria

Funding decisions are informed by our response strategy for the specific humanitarian emergency, which outlines our focus areas and sectors. All partners are strongly advised to ensure any proposal fits into this strategy. We will continue to assess and analyse humanitarian need throughout a response and the strategy may be updated.

Current RRF partners

RRF partners are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, Doctors of the World UK, GOAL, Habitat for Humanity, HALO, Humanity and Inclusion, HelpAge International, International Health Partners, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief Worldwide, MapAction, Medair, Mercy Corps Scotland, Mine Advisory Group, Mission Aviation Fellowship International, MuslimAid, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam GB, Plan UK, Premiere Urgence Internationale, Relief International, Save the Children UK, Solidarites, Tearfund, World Vision, BBC Media Action, Internews Europe.

Updates to this page

Published 25 March 2013
Last updated 1 June 2021 + show all updates

  1. Revised version of guidelines added

  2. Intervention criteria for humanitarian response in sudden onset contexts: Guidance framework (withdrawn)

  3. Annexes A through to F replaced

  4. The following attachments have been revised: Proposal template, Budget template and Reporting template.

  5. Revised budget template added

  6. Activation criteria for the Rapid Response Facility document added

  7. related documents updated

  8. Page updated to notify application window for the RRF is closed.

  9. Updated as a call for applications for NGOs to pre-qualify for the RRF is now open until midday on Monday 20 February 2017.

  10. Updated intervention criteria guidance document

  11. Intervention criteria for humanitarian response in sudden onset contexts: Guidance framework added

  12. First published.

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