Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) FAQ

How do the CBPFs allocate funds?

The CBPFs offer two funding modalities that RC/HCs can use in different contexts:

• Standard Allocations: These are larger amounts of money allocated to more comprehensive projects and provided to all eligible partners.
• Reserve Allocations: These are smaller allocations that are made quickly and can be directed to pre-selected, well-established partners in response to protracted crises, emergent crises or sudden deteriorations in situations.

All CBPF allocations are overseen by the RC/HC, and they support the priorities outlined in the country- or regional-level consolidated appeals.

What are the criteria for establishing a CBPF?

They are:

• The existence of a humanitarian crisis in which people need support from the international community.
• A Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan or a humanitarian planning document/consolidated appeal must be in place.
• Signs of significant and enduring commitment from donors at the country and capital levels.
• Adequate OCHA presence and capacity must be present within the country to manage a fund. 
• Potential partners with proven abilities to deliver humanitarian assistance must be present and active within the country.

Who makes the decision to establish a CBPF?

The ERC makes this decision.

Where is the oversight for that decision?

Managing the CBPFs is a key component of OCHA’s mandate to coordinate humanitarian affairs, including humanitarian financing. OCHA is responsible for ensuring that CBPFs are managed appropriately and can meet their objectives. As a UN Secretariat entity, OCHA is subject to the oversight of three UN bodies: the Board of Auditors, the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services and the Joint Inspection Unit.  

How are projects and recipients selected for CBPFs?

The CBPFs are guided by the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. They work in accordance with recognized international standards, as determined by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and in line with humanitarian financing principles, as codified through the Good Humanitarian Donorship and Grand Bargain initiatives.

Humanitarian partners work together to prioritize life-saving relief activities and request CBPF funding through the HC. Based on advice from aid workers on the ground, the HC considers and approves the final projects once the review and quality control are assured. For more information, explore the CBPFs.

How are members of the CBPFs Advisory Boards selected?

Board members represent contributing Member States, UN agencies, and international and national organizations. Our guidelines call for the equal representation of these constituencies. The members are nominated by their respective constituencies and ratified by the HC.

Non-contributing countries may also participate in the discussions. They can be invited by the HC as observers, which allows them to enrich discussions and learn about the Funds.

What is the role of the CBPFs Advisory Boards?

While the day-to-day oversight of the CBPFs lies with OCHA, the country-specific Advisory Boards play a key role in informing context-relevant approaches.

• The boards have a strategic role, advising on global policies and priorities, including the review of the country-level Operational Manual for each Fund. 
• The boards contribute to establishing risk management frameworks, backed by analysis of key risks and corresponding mitigation measures in each context. 
• The boards are consulted on allocation strategies to ensure they are aligned with the local humanitarian response priorities.
• The boards contribute to CBPFs’ transparency by monitoring Fund processes.
• The boards support CBPFs’ performance by monitoring and reviewing operations, and by providing advice to optimize performance.

How do CBPFs select their national and local recipients?

Before being eligible to submit project proposals for funding, all prospective non-governmental organization partners are vetted by a four-step process. This includes preliminary screening, registration in the UN Partner Portal and OCHA Grants Management System, due diligence review and capacity assessment.

Through this process, OCHA determines partners’ governance and institutional capacity; programme and partnership capacity; operational and financial capacity; and policies on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.

Projects by local and national actors are favoured, as these actors typically are best placed to provide front-line services due to their proximity to the affected communities, and their local knowledge, linkages with local authorities and community acceptance.

What oversight mechanisms are in place?

OCHA adopts a risk-based approach to the oversight of projects/partners funded.

Based on the score obtained during the above-mentioned vetting process, partners deemed eligible will be assigned one of three risk levels: High, Medium or Low.

The assigned risk level determines the conditions and oversight attached to the allocation.  

OCHA conducts programmatic and financial monitoring of all funded projects, as well as third-party independent audits. Based on the findings of these assurance activities, and of the reports submitted by partners, each project is assigned a performance rating, which impacts the partner’s Performance Index and risk rating.

How are the CBPF-funded projects monitored?

OCHA monitors projects regularly, including by holding focus group discussions with key stakeholders and reviewing documentation. All projects also undergo financial spot checks and external audits, and OCHA and partners have complaints-and-feedback mechanisms.

Do CBPFs fund cash and voucher assistance?

In 2023, CBPFs supported partners to transfer $178 million in cash and voucher assistance, including $36 million in multipurpose cash, representing 16 per cent of all funding allocated.