We innovate to find new approaches to funding that are proactive and that reach people at risk quickly.
Annual Report 2023
Our Annual Report 2023 speaks of our progress in delivering systemic shifts in power, practice, resources, and relationships and how we accelerate local leadership, anticipatory action, innovation, and anti-colonial policy and practice.
10 YEARS OF START FUND
This year marks a decade of impact for Start Network's Start Fund. Launched in 2014, the Start Fund has become a vital mechanism, empowering our circa 100 member organisations to deliver swift and anticipatory humanitarian action around the world.
Strategy 2024-2026
We are excited to launch our organisational strategy for 2024-2026. The focus for the next three years reaffirms our commitment to humanitarian system change, modelled through practical action.
A new era of humanitarian action
Start Network is made up of more than 90 humanitarian agencies across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to national NGOs
Our reach
Crisis alerts we respond to around the world.
FOREWARN DISASTER HACKATHON 2.0 IN BANGLADESH
FOREWARN Bangladesh introduces the country’s 2nd Hackathon on Disaster, striving to inspire young minds to build solutions, expand their knowledge horizons, and innovate on humanitarian challenges using open-source data and technologies.
Join us!
The missing link in localisation - Evidence to influence more effective, efficient, and equitable action
This report explores the existing evidence base and rationale for localisation to better understand how arguments for effectiveness, efficiency and equity in the localisation discourse are understood, evidenced and communicated. It identifies evidence of localisation impact as the missing link in the process of realising more effective advocacy and action on localisation ambitions.
Read moreAreas of work
Start Network’s vision is for a more balanced international aid system that is accountable to people affected by or at risk of crises.
Start Network is based on innovation: looking for new ways to create the system change that will shape a more effective humanitarian system.
Where we work
Americas
Americas
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Guatemala
Guatemala Hub
The hub has 11 local and national member organisations that are all community-based.
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Venezuela
Flooding in South America
Intense rains caused ravines to overflow and water systems to collapse in Venezuela.
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Central and South America
Start Fund Response
Start Fund provides rapid response funding to under-the-radar, small to medium-scale crises, filling a critical gap in the humanitarian aid system.
Europe
Europe
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Ukraine
The need for a more equitable humanitarian response
Start Network's approach to the Ukraine crisis is based on learning from other larger-scale crises that the Start Fund has responded to in the past.
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Serbia, Bulgaria
Migration Emergency Response Fund
The objective of the MERF was to rapidly respond to acute and emerging gaps and changes in needs along migration route.
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Greece, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Serbia
European Refugee Response
Start Network co-ordinated a two phase response to the European Refugee Crisis through ERR1 and ERR2.
Africa
Africa
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DRC
DRC Hub
The hub brings together nearly 60 local, national, and international organisations in DRC.
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DRC, Senegal, Zimbabwe
Start Ready
Start Ready is a unique financing mechanism that uses advanced planning so that funding can be rapidly released when needed most.
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Zimbabwe, Senegal
ARC Replica
ARC Replica is a partnership with African Risk Capacity and African Union member states that helps African countries proactively manage climate-related risks through disaster risk insurance.
Asia
Asia
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Bangladesh, Nepal
National Start Funds
National Start Funds are there to finance locally led humanitarian action, with members managing their own funds for the benefit of their own communities.
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India
INDIA HUMANITARIAN HUB
The India Humanitarian Hub (IHH) prioritises locally led action and leadership by bringing together local, national, and international humanitarian agencies that are operational in India.
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The Philippines, Bangladesh
FOREWARN
The Forecast-based, Warning, Analysis, and Response Network aims to quickly bring together the right people to predict disasters and support humanitarians closest to an anticipated crisis.
Oceania
Oceania
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Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati
Pacific Region Hub
The Pacific Humanitarian FALE is working to engage locally led humanitarian actors so that they can provide services that ensure the lives of people are safeguarded in any crisis.
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Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati
THE LOCALISATION OF HUMANITARIAN ACTION IN THE PACIFIC
Josie Flint from HAG speaks about the work they have been doing and the influence that the Start Network has had on this.
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Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati
Assembly held in Fiji, FALE-PASIFIKA
The word "fale" refers to a house that is meaningful and has a purpose when people occupy it.
Our members
Initiative for Development and Empowerment Axis (IDEA)
Care International UK
Dorcas Aid International
Concern Worldwide (UK)
World Vision
Participatory Rural Development Society (PRDS)
TearFund
National Integrated Development Association (NIDA-Pakistan)
Cesvi
North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS)
AFPDE asbl (Association des Femmes pour la Promotion et le Développement Endogène)
Welfare Association Jared
Relief International
LASOONA
Save the Children UK
Cadena
ACTED
Muslim Aid
ActionAid
Sangtani Women Rural Development Organization (SWRDO)
Action Against Hunger UK
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
Cordaid
Environmental Protection Society (EPS)
Community World Service Asia
Caritas Sri Lanka
Help Foundation
Nari Development Organization (NDO)
Health & Nutrition Development Society (HANDS)
Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS)
Oxfam GB
Mechanism for Rational Change (MRC)
People in Need (PIN)
Trócaire
Laar Humanitarian and Development Programme (LHDP)
PRO-VIDA
The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA)
Rural Empowerment and Institutional Development (REPID)
Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V.
Agricultural Development Association (PARC)
Islamic Relief
Qatar Charity
Solidarités International
EHSAR Foundation
Sami Foundation
EHD
Caritas Goma
Farmers Development Organization
Veer Development Organization
Manzil Organization Balochistan
Muzaffarabad Poverty Alleviation Programme
Plan International
Medair
Doaba Foundation
Doctors of the World
World Jewish Relief
GOAL
Bright Star Development Society Balochistan (BSDSB)
Association for Gender Awareness & Human Empowerment (AGAHE)
Humanity & Inclusion UK (Handicap International)
Age International
Mercy Corps
War Child
Caritas Bangladesh
Azat Foundation
Rural Community Development Society (RCDS)
Yuganter
Society for Mobilization Advocacy and Justice (SMAAJ)
HelpAge International UK
Asociación de Servicios Comunitarios de Salud (ASECSA)
Caritas India
MIDEFEHOPS ASBL
Rural Development Foundation (RDF)
Appui aux Femmes Démunies et Enfants Marginalisés (AFEDEM)
Catholic Relief Services - United States Conference of Bishops
Community Development Foundation (CDF)
Rural Development Organization Buner
Updates
All updates
Risk Bulletin: August 2024
The Start Fund monthly risk briefing reports on new, emerging or deteriorating situations; therefore, ongoing events that are considered to be unchanged are not featured and risks that are beyond the scope and scale of the Start Fund are also not featured. It is collated by the Start Network Anticipation and Risk Financing team using information from academia and research institutes, government departments, ACAPS, global risk indexes, risk information provided by Start Members and their partners, and the media. Key risks are shared and collated each month with FOREWARN input.
Annual Report 2023
From responding to displacement and migration in Colombia, to strengthening anticipatory action in the Philippines, our global network of dedicated changemakers is driving impact around the world.
A Review of the 2022 Organisational Strengthening Grants
Start Network has laid a solid foundation in organisational strengthening through its microfunding approach. However, to further enhance its impact, Start Network should integrate lessons from past capacity strengthening initiatives and focus on providing longer-term, contextualised support. By doing so, Start Network can effectively address compliance requirements whilst simultaneously fostering local capacity building, thereby empowering L/NNGOs and supporting the development of a resilient, locally led humanitarian system.
Start Ready and ARC Replica Response to Drought in Somalia
In late 2022, the Famine Review Committee identified a risk of famine for several population groups in the Bay region of Somalia. The African Risk Capacity (ARC) Replica funds were consequently released in March 2023 when pre-agreed thresholds indicated rainfall deficits, drought, and worsening food insecurity. In total, 3.38 million USD was released from ARC Replica, and was supplemented with 891,800 USD from Start Ready.
LOCAL, INDIGENOUS, AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE WITHIN START NETWORK
This report presents an overview of the current utilisation of Local, Indigenous, and Traditional Knowledge (LITK) within Start Network whilst exploring potential avenues for its enhanced capture and utilisation.
Evidence to influence more effective, efficient, and equitable action - the missing link in localisation
This report explores the existing evidence base and rationale for localisation to better understand how arguments for effectiveness, efficiency and equity in the localisation discourse are understood, evidenced and communicated.
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