The CHF is a multi-donor pooled-fund mechanism. It provides flexible and predictable financing of donor resources to the most critical humanitarian needs under the direction of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC).

In 2012, the CHF had received $101.3 million to fund projects in line with the HAP’s objectives and identified priorities. The CHF in DRC is called the Pooled Fund.

Fund allocations

The CHF provides grants to UN humanitarian agencies and international and national NGOs. The HAP provides overall strategic guidance for the CHF.
The CHF has two allocation modalities: the standard allocation and the reserve.

Each year, two standard allocations are conducted after a consultative process to allocate the bulk of funding. The HC also maintains a reserve fund as a rapid response mechanism to respond to unforeseen emergencies as they arise and to support strategic programmes, such as the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service.

The CHF has become the largest source of funding for humanitarian response; it has represented approximately 25 per cent of all funding received through the HAP since 2006.

Fund Source

CHF funds are from UN Member State contributions. Current donors include Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Since its inception in 2006, the CHF has received $756 million in donor contributions and allocated $741 million to humanitarian projects implemented by NGOs and UN agencies (as of 13 March 2013).

Fund Management

The HC is responsible for the use and management of the CHF. The OCHA Humanitarian Financing Section provides technical support to the HC on CHF allocations, while the UNDP Fund Management Unit (FMU) acts as the Managing Agent for all CFH-funded NGO projects. The UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office in New York acts as Administrative Agent of the Fund, managing financial transactions with donors and United Nations agencies.

CHF allocations are based on a participative and consultative process that engages humanitarian clusters and other relevant stakeholders at the country level in a comprehensive prioritization exercise.

An Advisory Board provides the HC with strategic guidance and advice in managing the CHF. The board comprises members of the humanitarian community who represent the views of donors, UN agencies and the NGO community.  More on RDC Humanitaire>>  

The DRC Common Humanitarian Fund in 2012

During 2012, the Common Humanitarian Fund in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as the Pooled Fund, received US$ 90.8 million in new contributions from seven donors and allocated US$ 89.9 million to 152 humanitarian projects.

The Pooled Fund is a common humanitarian financing mechanism established in 2006 at the initiative of humanitarian donors to support Humanitarian Reform. The Pooled Fund’s consultative allocation process is designed to efficiently and effectively allocate resources to respond to the humanitarian needs identified in the annual DRC Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP).

The Pooled Fund continues to be the largest source of funding for humanitarian projects in the DRC, representing 23.1 per cent of funding received through the HAP since 2006.

The 2012 Annual Report provides information and analysis on the donor contributions received, the allocations made, and the results achieved by the projects implemented during the year.  Read the report >>