Attachments
Executive Summary
This paper highlights best practices from selected pooled funds, focusing on approaches that may be useful for the Aid Fund for Syria (AFS) in three key areas:
• Complementarity and coordination with other pooled funding mechanisms
• Localisation and accountability
• Expanding beyond emergency response
This is not a full review of pooled fund best practices or AFS’s strategic needs. However, the findings aim to be relevant in the fast-changing context of northern Syria and AFS’s funding goals.
The focus areas were chosen in consultation with AFS leadership. The funds reviewed were selected based on their relevance to AFS’s mandate and their innovative practices in these areas. Insights were gathered through desk research and interviews with fund staff and key stakeholders. Each fund was examined through case studies, with broader lessons drawn from this research and ICVA’s work on risksharing and local NGO engagement in Country-Based Pooled Fund (CBPF) governance.
The review highlights the AFS’s innovative financing strategies to support communities holistically, addressing both immediate and early recovery needs. Through its Third Regular Allocation Strategy, AFS finances integrated programs that enhance community resilience and well-being, supports consortiums of community-based organizations, and provideds long-term funding for essential services and protection for at-risk populations. AFS also offers multi-year grants. The learning from this funding round—particularly the rollout of the Anchor Organisation approach—will be valuable to share.