Sudan Humanitarian Fund Programme Manual, November 2017 - Final Version

1 Introduction

The purpose of the Programme Manual for the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) is to provide partners with information for good programming based on IASC guidance as well as to define minimum programmatic requirements for SHF projects. Guidance specific to the context in Sudan is included when available. All partners are expected to work within the HCT Minimum Operating Standards.
Specific strategic orientations or additional programmatic requirements may be specified in any allocation paper.

2 2018 Positioning paper

Overall purpose The Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) is a country-based pooled fund that should contribute to the overall operational impact of “the provision of timely, coordinated, principled assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity” within Sudan. The SHF aims to promote a strategic and coordinated response towards the highest priorities in support of the Humanitarian Response Plan (or HC agreed strategy) and acute emergency needs. Projects should be based on the fundamental humanitarian principles and be in line with the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) approved Minimum Operating Standards.

Positioning statement

The SHF facilitates response to new emergencies ideally identified through joint or coordinated needs assessments as well as to protracted crises. The Reserve for Emergencies, guided by specific criteria, equaling a minimum of 20% of the overall SHF initial contributions is foreseen in 2018 alongside other allocations. The response to the protracted crises in Sudan remains important with a focus on multi-sector and longer term responses that integrate early recovery and resilience components facilitated through some multi-year commitments. Short term projects are encouraged to link to and leverage other funding sources in order to promote sustainability and/or continuity. The SHF will promote cash based programming and work through innovative approaches as for example consortiums to enable more coherent coverage and strategic area-based allocations. The SHF promotes the integration and mainstreaming of cross cutting issues such as gender, environment, ‘do no harm’, protection, and accountability to affected populations at all project stages.

The SHF will prioritize the provision of funding to NGOs working as front-line responders to the emergencies in Sudan as localization is one of the World Humanitarian Summit commitments and as clearly stated by donors to the SHF as a principal added value. The SHF will target 70% of direct funding to be allocated to NGOs. Sectors are encouraged to ensure robust national NGO participation to enhance capacity and facilitate funding by the SHF.

Strengthening partnerships with national NGOs to gradually build their capacity and ultimately improve humanitarian response is important while being cautious of adverse effects. Given the foregoing, programme support costs (7%) should be shared proportionally with non-governmental sub-grantees. Subsequent levels of sub-granting should be limited and show added value. The Fund promotes an approach of working in partnership with the Government through collaboration and capacity enhancement and promote this over sub-granting to the Government.

In line with the primary focus of the Fund on the front-line response, the below highlights some of the strategic choices made within the Fund allocation priorities. Funding of sector coordination is not considered a priority for the SHF as all lead agencies have made commitments to the IASC Cluster Coordination system at the global level to fund sector coordination. Emergency preparedness, needs assessments, core pipelines/procurement by lead agencies and common services (Telecom, logistics including UNHAS, Security, Data tracking) can be exceptionally eligible for funding when critical importance and a funding gap coincide.

Food aid (except for therapeutic food) is too resource intensive given funding levels of the SHF. It is of very low priority for the SHF and will ordinarily not be considered for SHF funding.