Putting Our Money Where Our Values Are

The climate and geopolitical polycrisis, combined with substantially reduced funding, means the humanitarian system – already in need of reform – needs to do more with less. Anticipatory action (AA) receives just 0.2% of humanitarian funding, yet it can significantly reduce the cost of humanitarian response. With locally led response also bringing cost efficiencies, it is only natural to explore locally led anticipatory action (LLAA).

In 2024, DEC funded nine agencies to pilot a project using LLAA, supporting community-led response (SCLR) and investment in disaster risk reduction (DRR) in northwest Syria – a fragile and conflict-affected state (FCAS). This position paper presents learning from this process in the form of three recommendations underpinned by one key takeaway.  

Key takeaway: Local and national actors need flexible, predictable and multi-year funding.  

• Recommendation 1: Prioritise holistic and multi-risk approaches
• Recommendation 2: Understand, acknowledge and invest in the added value of engaging with existing local capabilities which can be mobilised for AA in FCAS
• Recommendation 3: Build and adapt local, national and global frameworks and institutional approaches to complement national and locally led approaches