Appeals organize the plans and resource requirements; pooled funds offer a convenient means for donors to fund appeals. Humanitarian actors on the ground come together to jointly analyze needs, develop a common humanitarian strategy, elaborate projects and monitor and measure collective results. This plan is presented anchored in a Consolidated Appeal document, developed annually, or a Flash Appeal, issued whenever a new humanitarian emergency requires it, with a 3-6 month planning horizon. In parallel, a number of funding mechanisms have been set up to channel funds rapidly for emergency response: the CERF, CHF and ERF. All funding information is recorded in the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) database. OCHA coordinates all Consolidated and Flash Appeals and manages FTS (http://fts.unocha.org).

Link: Overview of the Consolidated Appeals and similar concerted humanitarian action plans at Mid-Year 2012