Overview
As the humanitarian sector grapples with escalating crises, deep funding cuts and growing political pressure, bold reforms such as those proposed by the Humanitarian Reset are urgently needed. Yet, these proposals also demand rigorous scrutiny. One of the most significant among them is the call to channel 33% of global humanitarian funding through Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs), which would see a potential increase in CBPF funding from USD 1 billion to USD 6 billion.
This proposal goes beyond a financial shift. It signals a major reconfiguration of how humanitarian financing is prioritised, governed, delivered, and made accountable. While CBPFs offer recognised strengths—including alignment with Humanitarian Response Plans, support to local actors, and risk sharing—scaling them to manage a third of all humanitarian funding will have far-reaching implications.
This paper presents the collective reflections from ICVA, in consultation with its members, on the practical implications of the CBPF proposal. While recognising the advantages of CBPFs, it calls for further collective reflection and analysis before targets are adopted. It offers constructive recommendations to ensure that any expansion of CBPFs enhances—not replaces—the broader system of pooled funding, direct donor partnerships, and local initiatives. f)