Start Fund handbook

The Start Fund is central to our mission to transform the humanitarian sector. At the heart of the Start Fund is an ethos of collective good. Agencies set aside their own short-term interest in getting funding in exchange for participating in the creation of a new global public good that will benefit all NGOs and humanity. When you begin to work with the Start Fund, and use this handbook, you will become part of an international effort that awards funding to the agency best placed to respond to a crisis.

The December 2023 version of the Handbook incorporates the updated ways of working on key aspects of the Start Fund including project duration, funding thresholds, and guidance on ICR and capital item costs. It introduces the Global Start Fund’s Assurance and Accountability tool which explains the Start Network Due Diligence Framework and the routine and targeted assurance checks and balances. The updated version outlines new information on incident reporting – including Safeguarding, Fraud, Bribery and Corruption, Terrorism Financing and Sanctions, Data Protection and Information Security, and Money Laundering.