In July 2008, the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) in the Central African Republic was upgraded to a Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF). The main difference is that the CHF provides most funding to priority, underfunded projects in the Coordinated Aid Programme (CAP) during twice-yearly standard allocations. This enables the Humanitarian Coordinator, who manages the CHF, to strategically allocate funding where it’s most needed, in accordance with identified humanitarian needs and priorities for the humanitarian response.

Contents

• Introduction
• First Standard Allocation
• CHF Forms and Templates
• Donors
• List of Projects funded by the CHF
• External Links
• Contact

Introduction

Since 2005 the humanitarian situation in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR) has deteriorated severely, as a consequence of conflict, crime, and insecurity. One million people have been affected by violence, and another million are at risk. As of August 2008, more than 300,000 people have been displaced inside the country or as refugees abroad. To enable NGOs and UN agencies to get funding quickly for humanitarian and early recovery programmes that are based on prioritised needs, to cover gaps or to begin operations an existing Emergency Response Fund was developed into a Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF) in July 2008. The CHF is characterised by simplicity, flexibility, and speed.

Upgrading the Emergency Response Fund to a Common Humanitarian Fund will improve the availability of timely, un-earmarked humanitarian funding that can be targeted strategically to priority humanitarian activities that are underfunded. This will enhance efficiency, reinforce prioritisation, and strengthen coordination within and between clusters. The CHF will also make it easier for donors who do not have a permanent presence in CAR to programme humanitarian funding.

The objectives of the CHF are similar to those of the now closed Emergency Response Fund:

• Making funds available early in the year for priority projects in the Coordinated Aid Programme that have received no or limited funding
• Making funds available to start operations in sectors or regions where needs are unmet
• Making funds available in cases of rapidly changing circumstances where humanitarian gaps need to be filled

The CHF has two funding windows: standard allocations and an emergency reserve. Standard allocations are the core element of the CHF and are used to allocate the majority of funding. During standard allocations, funding is allocated to priority activities in the CAP, in line with the prioritisation of CAP projects carried out by the clusters and the Humanitarian Coordinator. Usually twice a year, the Humanitarian Coordinator allocates available funding to clusters, based on an analysis of humanitarian needs and priorities. Clusters then identify priority, underfunded projects for CHF funding and submit them to the HC for final approval. When allocating funding during standard allocations, the Humanitarian Coordinator also decides on the amount to be kept as an emergency reserve, usually not higher than 20% of available funding. Humanitarian organisations can submit projects to the emergency reserve at any time, if they fulfill one of the following criteria:

• Organisations plan an emergency response in cases of rapidly changing circumstances where humanitarian gaps need to be filled and other donor mechanisms are unavailable or unable to ensure a speedy disbursement of funds.
• Organisations plan to start operations in regions where needs are unmet and where the start of the operation was not foreseeable at the time of the elaboration or revision of the CAP.

The Common Humanitarian Fund thus allows both for predictable, strategic humanitarian funding and for a quick response to breaking emergencies. Its functioning is described in more detail in the CHF Concept Note, August 2008 (English | Français).

First Standard Allocation

In September 2008, the Common Humanitarian Fund in the Central African Republic allocated $2.3m to 16 priority projects, to provide protection and life-saving assistance to some 237,500 people in need. The Humanitarian Coordinator allocated an additional $212,000 to the Humanitarian Air Service in CAR, which is crucial for the implementation of humanitarian action in inaccessible areas.

• CHF Standard Allocation Document (Aug/Sep 2008)
• Press Release (1 Oct 2008)
• CHF Activity Update (Sep 2008)
• Advisory Board biannual review (Sep 2008)

Projects funded during first CHF standard allocation

Second Standard Allocation

The Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. launched the second standard allocation on 3 March 2009 by publishing the CHF Standard Allocation Document (English | Français). Of the available funding, $4.3m is given to priority sectors - health, water and sanitation, human rights protection, early recovery, nutrition and education, as well as to coordination and support services. Another $500,000 are kept as an emergency reserve. Aid agencies and clusters have until 23 March to propose a selection of projects to the Humanitarian Coordinator.

List of projects funded under the 2nd CHF standard allocation for 2009

CHF Forms and Templates

• Concept Submission Form English | Francais
  To be submitted by participating organisation to the cluster lead/co-lead before clusters allocate funding to projects.
• Project Submission Form English | Francais
  To be completed by submitting organisation and cluster lead/co-lead for submission to the Humanitarian Coordinator.
• Project Table English | Francais
  To be completed and signed by cluster lead and NGO co-lead; includes list of selected project for submission to the Humanitarian Coordinator
• Interim Report for UN agencies and NGOs English | Francais
• Final Report for UN agencies and NGOs English | Francais
  To be submitted within two months of the end of a project
• Financial Report for NGOs English | Francais
  To be submitted within two months of the end of a project
• Financial Statement for UN agencies
  To be submitted within two months of the end of a project
• Inventory Report

Donors to the CHF

Differences between pledges and contributions are due to variations in exchange rates. In addition to the contributions listed above, a carry-over from the ERF is used for the CHF. Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK have contributed funding to the ERF.

List of projects funded by the CHF

To download the project document, click on the link in the right column of the table

Click here to download a detailed project list

Sectors funded by the CHF

External Links

• Common Humanitarian Fund in Sudan
• Common Humanitarian Fund (Pooled Fund) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Humanitarian Response Fund in Ethiopia
• Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
• Good Humanitarian Donorship
• Humanitarian Reform: Financing

Contact

For any questions or queries, please contact

Abdoulaye Sawadogo
CHF and CERF Coordinator
sawadogoa@un.org | +236 7018 8063

Séverin Yangou
CHF Manager
yangou@un.org | +236 7098 7038