Start Fund

Crisis Anticipation

The Start Fund Anticipation enables NGOs to prepare when they see a crisis coming and respond early to mitigate the predicted impacts. It is the first NGO funding mechanism to be available for anticipatory interventions.

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Don't wait, Anticipate

Since 2016 Start Network members have accessed the Start Fund in advance of a crisis and acted to mitigate and prevent the impact on at-risk communities before the disaster is forecast to strike. They have conducted risk analysis, monitoring forecasting information and crisis monitors of dynamic humanitarian situations to present timely alerts for Start Fund NGO-led decision making.

 

We believe that responding once the damage has been done is not good enough, and are building the evidence base that acting in anticipation saves money and lives, as well as advocating alongside other actors for the mainstreaming of the anticipatory approach in the humanitarian sector. Local-level risk analysis, informed by the potential impacts on at-risk communities, is a necessary part of quality, risk-informed anticipatory action, and we are supporting this through building national FOREWARN groups.

 

At the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016, UN Secretary-General called for the humanitarian community to invest in risk analysis and act early on findings. Through anticipatory funding disbursed through the Start Fund for small to medium crises, we are doing just that: In the future we will continue to anticipate crises globally, by working with forecasting agencies, academics and expert groups like FOREWARN, to better pre-empt humanitarian disasters worldwide.

The Anticipation Alert Cycle

Performance

Figures about anticipating through Start Funds since November 2016

Crises anticipated

26

Crises anticipated

Anticipation Alerts raised

38

Anticipation Alerts raised

Average days between alert and operations

7

Average days between alert and operations

Responses in # countries

21

Responses in # countries

Pounds disbursed

6,238,616

Pounds disbursed

Latest news

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: SEPTEMBER 2021

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.  

16Sep21

Blog Post

High-level Humanitarian Event on Anticipatory Action: Statement by Christina Bennett

The United Nations and the Governments of Germany and the United Kingdom convened a high-level event to advance anticipatory action and galvanise a collective push to act ahead of crises. Start Network CEO Christina Bennett made the following statement at the event.

14Sep21

Blog Post

Reflections on the High-level Humanitarian Event on Anticipatory Action

A High-level Humanitarian Event on Anticipatory Action, convened by OCHA and the Governments of Germany and the UK, took place on 9 September 2021. This brought together leaders from across governments, international financial institutions, the United Nations (UN) and civil society, who delivered powerful statements on their commitments to act to ahead of crises. Here, Sarah Klassen, Ben Webster, Jânio Dambo, and LA Dimailig offer their personal reflections on what this event achieved – and what should happen next.

14Sep21

Resource

Enabling Anticipatory Action at Scale Policy Brief for Donor Governments

The Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) brings together the key agencies implementing anticipatory action on the ground. The AATF draws on a wealth of experience from implementing anticipatory action initiatives in over 60 countries. The mission of the AATF is to promote the use of anticipatory humanitarian action to risks1 . The taskforce also supports evidence-based policies that make anticipatory action possible.

10Sep21

Related documents

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MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: NOVEMBER 2021

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.

12Nov21

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: SEPTEMBER 2021

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.  

16Sep21

Resource

Enabling Anticipatory Action at Scale Policy Brief for Donor Governments

The Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) brings together the key agencies implementing anticipatory action on the ground. The AATF draws on a wealth of experience from implementing anticipatory action initiatives in over 60 countries. The mission of the AATF is to promote the use of anticipatory humanitarian action to risks1 . The taskforce also supports evidence-based policies that make anticipatory action possible.

10Sep21

Resource

Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) ToR

Acting prior to a predictable hazard in order to safeguard lives and livelihoods, to reduce human suffering and losses and damages, is a faster, more efficient and more dignified response.

10Sep21

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: JULY 2021

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.

09Jul21

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: JUNE 2021

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.

16Jun21

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: MAY 2021

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.

12May21

Resource

Start Fund Handbook - Bangla

This handbook details the procedures which govern the use and allocation of the Start Fund.

23Apr21

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: APRIL 2021

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.

27Apr21

Resource

MONTHLY RISK BULLETIN ISSUED: MARCH 2021

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.

17Mar21

Resource

Information is Power: Connecting local responders to the risk information that they need

Start Network has launched Information is Power: Connecting Local Responders to the Risk Information that they Need, a paper which calls for organisations to connect people at risk of crises with forecast information, which can help to save lives, cut the costs of emergency response, and build more resilient communities.

15Jan21

Resource

Knowledge, attitude and practice around heatwaves in Karachi, following a forecast-based heatwave messaging project.

The humanitarian impact of extreme heat is an increasing concern, especially in low-income countries with limited access to quality healthcare and informal dwellings which can trap heat. This report analyses the knowledge, attitude and practice of Karachi residents in relation to managing extreme heat. It was conducted in 2020 following a messaging campaign led by HANDS related to extreme heat. The project was triggered through a disaster risk financing approach, using a heatwave model to trigger funding automatically when extreme heat was forecast.

04Jan21

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