| The Grand Bargain Bimonthly Updates |
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Latest news from the Grand Bargain | December 2023 |
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Dear Grand Bargain Signatories,
In our first edition of 2024, and recapping some of the progress made at the end of last year, we are pleased to share the latest updates from the Grand Bargain community, the Ambassadors and the Facilitation Group. For example, there is an update on monitoring the accountability for the outcomes of the caucus on funding for localisation, an announcement of a launch of the caucus on anticipatory action, an update on the quality funding catalogue, an information regarding the upcoming Facilitation Group Sherpas meeting and additional updates from Signatories.
In her statement at the Global Humanitarian Overview, Deputy ERC Joyce Msuya emphasised the progress made in the humanitarian sector: we are now more efficient, more effective, more accountable, and we are getting better at anticipating crisis. However, despite this progress, millions of people in need of assistance remain unreached. As we step into this new year, those words strongly stress the importance of continuing the implementation of the Grand Bargain reforms.
Wishing you a pleasant reading,
The Grand Bargain Secretariat
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| Latest from the Ambassadors and the Facilitation Group |
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| Ambassadors and the Facilitation Group |
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| Over the past two months, the Ambassadors have been engaging in many meetings and events to present their plan for the upcoming months. In their engagements, they highlighted the need to translate existing policies into practice: this needs to be an era of action. You can read here an overview of their recent meetings. As one of the first acts of 2024, Ambassador Bessler will be leading efforts to catalogue best practices for donors incentivising localisation; and in parallel, will launch together with NEAR a series of learning space events focused on funding for localisation. Ambassador Köhler will lead the launch of a caucus on anticipatory action in February 2024, and is finalising plans for an upcoming retreat on innovative financing and the nexus. Ambassador Mahmood is in discussions with key stakeholders to outline future participation steps and establish a potential target. |
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| The Facilitation Group Sherpas will convene on 16 January 2024 under co-chairmanship of Germany and IFRC. This meeting will be an opportunity for the Facilitation Group to review recent progress and developments, identify any existing gaps or issues that demand targeted attention, and provide recommendations to the Ambassadors. Additionally, they will have a strategic discussion on the revised self-reporting and decide on a date for the Annual Meeting in October 2024. |
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| Latest from the focus areas, caucuses, and other initiatives |
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| Caucus funding for localisation |
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| To follow up on the implementation of the caucus on funding for localisation, Ambassador Bessler, along with former leads of the caucus on funding for localisation: former EP Jan Egeland, and NEAR Executive Director, Hibak Kalfan, jointly sent a letter to caucus members who endorsed the outcome document. This letter requests updates regarding the development of a roadmap outlining how and when each caucus member aims to reach the 25% target funding to local and national actors. |
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| This progress update, includes best practices and lessons learned, will lay the ground for convening a learning space in early 2024 with all interested Signatories. Further details will be shared in the coming weeks. |
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| Focus area: Quality funding |
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Development Initiatives, with NRC, have begun work updating the Catalogue of Quality Funding Practices as agreed at the September 2023 meeting between the Grand Bargain Ambassadors and the Facilitation Group. The purpose of this study is to provide donors committed to scaling up quality funding with an updated compilation of best practices, including the new addition of locally-led funds and NGO-led financing mechanisms. It will take stock of current quality funding practices and provide an overview of lessons learned from the implementation of different funding mechanisms. The exercise will involve a light desk review and key informant interviews to update existing catalogue entries and to develop a small number of new entries, with a focus on synthesising emerging evidence. The updated catalogue is expected to be completed in mid-February 2024.
Interested in learning more about quality funding within the Grand Bargain? Read the one-pager here.
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 | | This one-pager outlines the purpose of the exercise, the roles and responsibilities, the timeline, and the indicators and reporting expected. Consultations will be organised, but in the meantime the Signatories can directly reach Development Initiatives (Niklas.Rieger@devinit.org) to share their suggestions for the indicators. |
 | | The guidance was developed by the Grand Bargain Secretariat to clarify to the Signatories how to establish a Community of Practice. |
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| Latest from the Signatories and partners |
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New Signatory: the Feminist Humanitarian Network
We would like to welcome a new Signatory: the Feminist Humanitarian Network (FHN), who joined the Grand Bargain in November to promote uptake of feminist humanitarian principles, power sharing and shifting, access to quality funding in practice and grassroots feminist actors' leadership across the Grand Bargain platform. Furthermore, the FHN seeks to support Global South-based feminist local responders to lead in Grand Bargain fora and amplify this collectively agreed message.
Click here to read the Feminist Humanitarian Network statement |
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From commitment to action: Signatories' best practices of implementation
In our Biweekly updates, we have been showcasing best practices of Signatories implementing the Grand Bargain commitments and hope these will serve as an inspiration. We also gathered them in one place on this page and will continuously update them. Do you know of a good practice that could inspire other Signatories? Let us know at gbsecretariat@un.org.
The best practices are grouped by focus area.
Click here to read the best practices |
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The failure to fund refugee-led organisations: why the current system is not working, and the potential for change This five-year research project aims to provide rigorous and independent snapshots of funding over time and an evidence-based advocacy tool to improve the quantity and quality of funding that is directed to RLOs. The project focuses on the following research questions: - What is the rationale for donors funding RLOs?
- How much funding are donors allocating to RLOs?
- What is the quality of the funding to RLOs?
- What needs to happen to improve the quantity and quality of funding to RLOs?
Click here to read the report |
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Making the most of cash at scale - Mercy Corps Policy Paper
Mercy Corps’ new study explores the potential of cash at scale to meet increasing humanitarian needs and deliver people centric response. For Mercy Corps, cash at scale to date has been delivered via consortium models. Over the past few years, Mercy Corps has led cash consortia around the globe, delivering cash at scale with partners to meet critical basic needs. Compared to single-agency led operations, successful consortia generally drive the quality and effectiveness of cash at scale – as such, the consortium model has become integral to ongoing discussions on cash at scale.
Click here to read the Policy Paper |
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