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A new era of humanitarian action

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Start Fund: Tropical storm response, Somalia, 2018

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Start Network hubs launch call-to-action to accelerate a lasting step-change towards localisation

08Jun20

News Article

Eight organisations take part in localised fund for COVID-19 response

04Aug20

Blog Post

Start Fund Bangladesh: COVID-19 Chapter

23Jul20

Blog Post

ARC Replica Pay-out Senegal 2020

14Jul20

About us

A new era of humanitarian action

Start Network is made up of more than 40 aid agencies across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to national NGOs. Together, our aim is to transform humanitarian action through innovation, fast funding, early action, and localisation.
We're tackling what we believe are the biggest systemic problems that the sector faces - problems including slow and reactive funding, centralised decision-making, and an aversion to change, means that people affected by crises around the world, do not receive the best help fast enough, and needless suffering results.
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Localisation

We believe that a more balanced international aid system, which shifts power to those closest to the front-line, will generate more effective and appropriate responses for people affected by crises.

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New froms of financing

New forms of financing

Our pooled funds enable fast and early action to tackle the kind of crises that are often overlooked by other funding mechanisms. Our risk financing pilots are introducing new ways of working that can save even more lives.

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Collective innovation

New ways of working are needed to tackle the challenges we face. By innovating collectively we can share expertise, insights and perspectives to shape a more effective humanitarian system.

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An international network

Today the Start Network extends to over 40 members and their 7000 partner organisations, employing more than a quarter of a million people across 200 countries and territories.
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Latest news

News Article

New research explores the opportunities and challenges of a migration-specific rapid response fund

The Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF), funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), was established in January 2017. The MERF’s aim is to address the unpredictable nature of the mixed migration context across the Mediterranean and rapidly respond to new or emerging needs. It built on the Start Network’s experience of collaboratively responding to the needs of migrants and refugees through its two European Refugee Responses (ERR) in 2015-2016.

06Aug20

Blog Post

Interview with Manu Gupta and Varghese Antony

In June four humanitarian organisations from India joined the Start Network, and one of these is SEEDS. We spoke with Manu Gupta and Varghese Antony about their previous interactions with the Start Network and their motivations for joining.

05Aug20

News Article

Eight organisations take part in localised fund for COVID-19 response

As part of Start Network’s commitment to supporting local actors, eight national and local members have so far been selected to participate in a localised fund for COVID-19 response. This fund will allow these organisations to access funding of up to £30,000 to respond to COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan.

04Aug20

Blog Post

Alert 417: Cyclone Harold in Vanuatu

Tropical Cyclone Harold, which slammed into Vanuatu’s northern provinces on 6 April 2020, proved to be almost as devastating. Hitting in the middle of a national state of emergency to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19, the response was even more challenging.

31Jul20

Latest resources

Resource

Migration Emergency Response Fund Research Piece - Management response

A management response to the Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF) Research Piece

06Aug20

Resource

Migration Emergency Response Fund Research Piece

This research piece attempts to navigate the discussion and explore Start Network members’, donors’ and staff perceptions and experiences of the Start Network’s dedicated Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF), with a view to making practical recommendations in support of Start Network’s institutional engagement with mixed migration going forward.

06Aug20

Resource

Evaluation des flux migratoires et des besoins et risques de protection sur l'axe Sevare-Timbuktu au Mali

Le financement du MERF a été accordé sous la forme d'une subvention pour la Collaborative Information Collection and Analysis (CICA) afin d'évaluer les besoins sur la route émergente entre Sévaré et Tombouctou. L'évaluation a été menée par le Danish Refugee Council (DRC) au Mali et a confirmé le nombre très élevé de migrants utilisant cet itinéraire ainsi que le besoin d'une aide à la protection. 

31Jul20

Resource

Evaluation of migration flows and protection needs and risks on the Sevare-Timbuktu route in Mali

Funding from the Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF) was awarded in the form of a Collaborative Information Collection and Analysis (CICA) grant in order to assess the needs on the emerging route between Sévaré and Timbuktu. 

31Jul20

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Start Network members