Grand Bargain Bimonthly Updates - September 2022

Published Date

30 September 2022

The Grand Bargain Bimonthly Updates

Latest news from the Grand Bargain | September 2022

Dear Grand Bargain Signatories,

We are pleased to share with you the September edition of the Grand Bargain Bimonthly newsletter, which includes updates on the process on the future of the Grand Bargain, the final outcome document of the role of intermediaries caucus, and detailed strategy and way forward of the funding for localisation caucus.

We are now 9 months away from the end of the Grand Bargain 2.0, and it is time to take concrete action; as EP Jan Egeland reminded in his letter to the Signatories in August. The renewed energy at the Annual Meeting has to translate into a concrete implementation of the commitments.

We are also entering the consultations on the future of the Grand Bargain. The results of the survey, which we will share with you at the beginning of October, will initiate this consultation to collectively reach an agreement on the future of the process after 2023.
Finally, we are pleased to introduce you to a new colleague in the Grand Bargain Secretariat, Melissa Gonçalves Marques, who will be responsible for communications and administrative support. She joins us in the Secretariat in Geneva after having worked in communications for the World Food Programme in Mauritania for the last three years, and for a child protection NGO in Senegal before that. Welcome, Melissa!

In an effort to strengthen transparency and communications, we are pleased to let you know that we will be posting updates on the website on a biweekly basis. The website already contains all the latest information on the Grand Bargain, but the biweekly recap will allow you to find it all in one place. Please find the first one here.

We wish you pleasant reading,
The Grand Bargain Secretariat

Update from the Eminent Person

"I write to you as a formal signatory to urge one last effort to reach our agreed goals in the remaining nine months of my tenure as EP of the Grand Bargain 2.0 (...) The Grand Bargain remains a unique tool at our disposal to help us make the best use of limited resources and, most importantly, deliver better to people in need." - Jan Egeland, August 2022

Read the letter

Update from the Facilitation Group

The Facilitation Group focused on developing and disseminating the survey on the future of the Grand Bargain. The response rate was over 80 %, and the findings will inform the next consultative stages between October and December 2022 – you can read more about the process in the section below.

The Grand Bargain annual self-reporting cycle will happen again in early 2022. The Facilitation Group is currently reviewing the reporting templates to ensure alignment with Grand Bargain 2.0 and improving the usefulness of the data collected where possible.

The Facilitation Group has also been looking into how to support the caucus champions in disseminating the caucus outcomes, and ensuring their implementation.

Beginning of October 2022, UNHCR will take over from ICVA as the Facilitation Group Chair for the next two months.

Process on the future of the Grand Bargain

Latest from the caucuses, workstreams, and other initiatives

Caucus on funding for localisation

Grand Bargain Caucus on Funding for Localisation developed a detailed strategy and way forward - September 2022

After a successful launch of the caucus on the margins of the Annual Meeting, the caucus co-chairs, the EP Office and NEAR, developed a detailed strategy for the work to be undertaken in the coming months.

To achieve the objectives outlined in the caucus strategy and endorsed by the Principals in July, the caucus champions will be supported by Development Initiatives, who will work as a an external technical advisor. They will be responsible to work with the caucus members and champions to:

Inform the agreement of a common approach and metrics to track funding to local and national actors.
Identify current barriers to and opportunities for increased funding for local and national actors.

More details on the strategy and the caucus timeline can be found here.

Caucus on the Role of Intermediaries

Final outcome document - August 2022

We are pleased to share with you the final outcome document of the caucus on the role of intermediaries, which includes commitments for the organisations with an intermediary role, local/national actors, and funding partners/donors. The document was endorsed at the closing of the caucus on 17 July 2022 by A4EP, EU/DG ECHO, Germany, IFRC, NEAR, SCHR/World Vision, Switzerland, UNHCR, and UNICEF.

This document is an important stepping stone to be taken forward by the new caucus and the localisation workstream, and built upon by the practice of our organisations in delivering humanitarian response.

We invite you to read the document, and to ensure embedding these principles in your own practices and internal systems.

>> Click here for the outcome document

Latest from the Signatories

NEAR organised the NRGs Global information session

NEAR organised an online global information session on National Reference Groups. 78 participants attended the session, including donors, INGOs, UN agencies, national and local NGOs, Red Cross and Crescent movements. For recording, please, reach out to NEAR or the Grand Bargain Secretariat.

Pooled funds : the new humanitarian silver bullet?

The Norwegian Refugee Council's study looks at how pooled funds have evolved, particularly in the last five years, and identifies how they could become more effective in benefitting various stakeholders.

The study also makes recommendations to support the Grand Bargain commitments. Read the study

Christian Aid publishes two papers

We are pleased to share with you two new papers from Christian Aid, focusing on putting people at the centre of humanitarian system, and on survivor and community led response (sclr) approach:

Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2022

The Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2022 provides a critical overview of the crisis financing landscape. Development Initiatives finds that total funding has plateaued despite historically high demand. The report also provides unique analysis of efforts to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian financing, as part of Grand Bargain commitments. This year’s GHA Report includes updated analysis on funding to local actors, cash assistance and flexible funding. Read full report

The Grand Bargain Secretariat is supported by ECHO and hosted by the Norwegian Refugee Council/NORCAP.