Methodology: CERF Underfunded Emergencies (UFE): 2018 first allocation round

The Central Emergency Response Fund’s (CERF) underfunded emergencies (UFE) grants are allocated twice a year to the least funded emergencies with the highest levels of risk, vulnerability and humanitarian needs.
The Emergency Relief Coordinator selects emergencies that will receive CERF support for life-saving humanitarian action based on a rigorous analysis and an inclusive consultation process. Qualitative and contextual information is collected during a consultation process with UN agencies, NGOs and different parts of OCHA, as well as from a document review. The two-tier analysis of funding levels and humanitarian needs relies on quantitative data from established data sources.
The CERF secretariat analysed the funding coverage of all emergencies with data from the Financial Tracking Service (FTS), UN agencies and the country-based pooled funds dashboard. The analysis then considers numerous data sources on vulnerability and humanitarian needs, especially those that focus on food insecurity, conflict, human rights and protection. The six measures are weighted and combined into the CERF Index for Risk and Vulnerability (CIRV), which includes data on conflict and natural disasters, protection and fragility, vulnerable groups and coping capacity, and is forward-looking as it includes assessments of future risks.
CERF continuously improves the methodology and process it uses to identify the most underfunded emergencies, based on feedback collected after each allocation round.
For the first time this round, CERF analysed 5-year trends of funding levels and humanitarian needs to identify worsening situations.