We innovate to find new approaches to funding that are proactive and that reach people at risk quickly.
Our reach
Crisis alerts we respond to around the world.

LOCAL PARTNER VOICES PODCASTS
Tune in to our podcast series making the case for locally led humanitarian action.
Listen here
START READY - STRUCTURING REPORT FOR POOL 1
Following a number of years of investment in building disaster risk financing systems in various countries, Start Ready’s first pool went live in May 2022.
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

Mechanism for Rational Change (MRC)

North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS)

PRO-VIDA

Health & Nutrition Development Society (HANDS)

Rural Community Development Society (RCDS)

Farmers Development Organization

CADENA

Islamic Relief

Veer Development Organization

Cordaid

Muslim Aid

Agricultural Development Association (PARC)

Nari Development Organization (NDO)

Catholic Relief Services - United States Conference of Bishops

HelpAge International UK

Appui aux Femmes Démunies et Enfants Marginalisés (AFEDEM)

Participatory Rural Development Society (PRDS)

National Integrated Development Association (NIDA-Pakistan)

Manzil Organization Balochistan

Rural Development Orginzation Buner

Community World Service Asia

Save the Children UK

Doctors of the World

Yuganter

Qatar Charity

Doaba Foundation

People in Need (PIN)

ActionAid

Bright Star Development Society Balochistan (BSDSB)

Oxfam

Association for Gender Awareness & Human Empowerment (AGAHE)

Age International

BRAC International

AFPDE asbl (Association des Femmes pour la Promotion et le Développement Endogène)

Welfare Association Jared

Relief International

Caritas Bangladesh

Tearfund

World Vision

MIDEFEHOPS Asbl

Care International UK

War Child

Society for Mobilization Advocacy and Justice (SMAAJ)
Rural Empowerment and Institutional Development (REPID)

Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS)

Rural Development Foundation (RDF)

Help Foundation

Caritas Goma

ACTED

Trócaire

Dorcas Aid International

Mercy Corps

Laar Humanitarian and Development Programme (LHDP)

Pacific Islands Association of Non Governmental Organisations (PIANGO)

Initiative for Development and Empowerment Axis (IDEA)
LASOONA

Caritas Sri Lanka

Medair

Sami Foundation

Plan International

Muzaffarabad Poverty Alleviation Programme

EHSAR Foundation

Community Development Foundation (CDF)

Solidarités International

Azat Foundation

The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA)

Concern Worldwide (UK)

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

World Jewish Relief

Asociación de Servicios Comunitarios de Salud (ASECSA)

GOAL

Sangtani Women Rural Development Organization (SWRDO)

Humanity & Inclusion (Handicap International)

Environmental Protection Society (EPS)

Cesvi

Action Against Hunger UK

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V.

Caritas India

EHD
Updates
All updatesPRE-ALERT GUIDANCE NOTE - ANTICIPATING COLD WAVES
This pre-alert guidance note aims to support Start Network members to raise Start Fund anticipation alerts and act in advance of a crisis to prevent or reduce humanitarian impacts. This note includes advice on indicators and forecasts to predict cold waves, potential impacts, and anticipatory activities.

SKILL Grant Learning Report
The Sharing Knowledge and Ideas under Local Leadership (SKILL) Grant was developed in 2021 so that Start Network’s local members could lead collaborative research projects and learn through partnerships. From January 2022, with grants of up to £15,000 GBP, eight local or national NGO organisations worked with a variety of partners to research humanitarian issues that they chose. Through this report, we document their experiences, impact and learning.

SKILL Grant Case Studies
The Sharing Knowledge and Ideas under Local Leadership (SKILL) Grant was developed in 2021 so that Start Network’s local members could lead collaborative research projects and learn through partnerships. This document contains the case studies gathered during the grant.

RISK BULLETIN: MAY AND JUNE 2023
The 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. This months risk brief includes an outline of how the potential formation of El Niño this year could influence risks across the globe.

Community led approaches to monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning research grant
This grant sought to enable the creation of new methodologies to measure the success and impact of humanitarian interventions. The Community-Led Approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Research Grant was created in March 2022, with support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the IKEA Foundation. This grant formed part of the Start Network’s push for a locally led humanitarian system and to meet the participation revolution commitment in the Grand Bargain, which seeks to promote the link between effective participation and the quality and effectiveness of humanitarian response.

Second Start Ready Risk Pool Goes Live to Protect Communities From Climate Risks
In the second risk pool, £4.5m has been stretched to £7.3m to protect communities against droughts, floods, cyclones and heatwaves in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Madagascar and Senegal. Sarah Klassen, Start Ready Programme Manager, provides reflections on the decision-making process to structure funding for the second risk pool and why this year is an important one for Start Ready.