ReliefWeb

The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is one of the fastest and most effective ways to support rapid humanitarian response for people affected by humanitarian crises.

CERF receives voluntary contributions year-round to provide immediate funding for life-saving humanitarian action anywhere in the world.

HOW CERF WORKS

CERF receives contributions from donors – mainly governments, but also, foundations, companies, charities and individuals – into a single fund with a $450 million annual funding target.

This money is set aside for immediate use at the onset of emergencies, in rapidly deteriorating situations and in protracted crises that fail to attract sufficient resources. In emergencies, humanitarian organizations apply jointly for funding. Funds are immediately released if these proposals meet CERF’s criteria, i.e. the needs are urgent and the proposed activities will save lives.

With money available immediately, relief organizations can deliver food, safe drinking water, medical supplies and other life-saving aid faster and more efficiently. CERF allocations are designed to complement other humanitarian funding sources, such as country-based pooled funds and bilateral funding. The Secretary-General has called for an expansion of the Fund to US$1 billion per year by 2018, in order to ensure that CERF can respond to the world’s dramatically increasing needs. A decade ago, 32 million people were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance - today that number is over 125 million.

Rapid Response

CERF makes money available when it is needed most: at the beginning of a crisis, when time is of the essence and it is critical that emergency relief operations get under way quickly.

But mobilizing funds can take time and as time passes, more lives are lost.

CERF helps to remedy this problem with rapid response grants, which can be approved in as little as 48 hours.

Underfunded Emergencies

CERF provides funding to the world’s most neglected crises. When a disaster fades from the headlines, or never makes the headlines, it is much harder to raise funds. The need for help, however, is no less significant.

CERF helps to address this challenge with underfunded emergencies grants, which are disbursed twice a year for emergencies that have not attracted sufficient funding.

Loans

CERF has a loan facility of $30 million. Up to one-year loans are provided based on indication that donor funding is forthcoming.

FUNDING RECIPIENTS

In an average year, CERF allocates approximately $450 million to humanitarian operations in some 50 different countries. Since 2006, almost $4.5 billion has been allocated to help millions of people in 98 countries and territories across the world.

CERF funding is available to UN agencies, funds and programmes and the International Organization for Migration.

NGOs are important partners in the CERF allocation decision-making processes and receive CERF funding when they carry out work for recipient organizations.

CERF CONTRIBUTORS

CERF is funded by voluntary contributions. Since 2006, CERF has received more than $4.5 billion from 126 UN Member States and observers, regional and local governments, private donors and individuals. A third of CERF’s contributors have also received support from the fund.

CERF MANAGEMENT

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) manages CERF on behalf of the UN Secretary-General.

The ERC is supported by the CERF secretariat, which is situated within the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The CERF secretariat is responsible for ensuring that the funds are allocated properly, disbursed in a timely manner, and that use of the funds is reported appropriately and transparently.

The CERF Advisory Group provides policy guidance to the Secretary-General on the use and impact of the fund.

CERF DELIVERS RESULT

Each year, CERF grants enable humanitarian partners to provide critical health services to over 20 million people, feed some 10 million people, provide water and sanitation to 8 million people and bring emergency shelter to over 1 million people. Other areas of CERF-funded interventions include agriculture, camp management, coordination, education, logistics, mine action, nutrition, protection and security.