Projects for the first five alerts with the Start Fund COVID-19 were selected this weekend by local project selection committees.
The new Start Fund COVID-19 is part of the Start Network’s existing funding mechanism, the Start Fund, which has enabled the network to get the fund set up quickly. Start Fund COVID-19 provides rapid funding for small to medium responses at the local level, neglected or underfunded aspects of the broader COVID-19 response and for early and anticipatory humanitarian action, needed before the virus spreads to vulnerable communities.
The fund has been kickstarted with a generous donation from IKEA Foundation for €1.5M, and other donors are urgently being sought to allow us to respond to an unprecedented global need. Within just a few days of fund's launch, we identified an initial funding need of £20m. This figure is likely to increase over the coming weeks and months as our members identify more needs and gaps in responses.
Following a call for alerts between Thursday 2 of April and Monday 6 of April, Start Fund COVID-19 received a total of 85 alerts from 69 ODA countries across five continents.
On 8 April the Start Network completed its analysis of the surveys for the 85 alerts along with the alert notes. Following a three-stage decision-making process, the Start Fund committee allocated funding to alerts in Chad, South Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso, and Timor Leste. Projects for these alerts were selected this weekend by local project selection committees.
The agencies responding are:
- CHAD: Solidarités International (in consortium with Care and Action Against Hunger)
- South Sudan: Solidarités International, CAFOD, Islamic Relief, Catholic Radio Network
- Haiti: Mercy Corps, Catholic Relief Services, Christian Aid, Humanity & Inclusion, Viamo, Service Jesuit Aux Migrants, Federation Haitienne des Associations et Institutions de Personnes Handicapées, Coalition Nationale des Organisations pour l’Intégration des Personnes Handicapées, Plateforme des associations de voitures et moto taxi d'Haïti
- Burkina Faso: ACTED, Solidarités International, Oxfam (in partnership with ATAD), Doctors of the World Spain & France
- Timor-Leste: Oxfam, Care, Mercy Corps, Catholic Relief Services, Plan International, World Vision, BIFANO, AFFOS, MANEO (Oecusse) Ra'es Hadomi Timor-Oan (Disabled Peoples Organisation - DPO), Asosiasaun Cova Taroman Suai, Justice and Peace Commission of Diocese of Maliana and Caritas Diocese of Maliana