Shelter, Land & Site Coordination Sector This guidance note provides operational and technical direction for SLSC sector partners implementing Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) for house repairs in...
Cash and Voucher Assistance
Introduction
Cash transfer programming refers to all programmes where cash (or vouchers for goods or services) is provided directly to affected people to meet one or several basic humanitarian needs. Evidence indicates that cash is almost universally preferred by beneficiaries, and that it can be an effective and efficient means of delivering assistance where markets and operational contexts permit. Cash transfer programming is being scaled up across the humanitarian system and can be delivered through mechanisms including vouchers, electronic payment systems or direct cash delivery. (OCHA, 30 Aug 2018)
Overview
Key Resources
- Where Next? The Evolving Landscape of Cash and Voucher Policies, December 2022
- Increasing the Use of Humanitarian Cash and Voucher Assistance: Opportunities, Barriers and Dilemmas
- Global Payment Solutions for Humanitarian Cash Assistance (December 2022)
- New Cash Coordination Model - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), December 2022 (Fench, Spanish)
- New Cash Coordination Model - All you need to know about the new model, November 2022 (Arabic, Fench, Spanish)
- Cash and Voucher Assistance and Child Protection in Humanitarian Action: Guidance Note on Cash and Voucher Assistance for Child-headed households (CHH) and Unaccompanied Children (UAC) (April 2022)
- The State of the World's Cash 2020: Cash and Voucher Assistance in Humanitarian Aid
- 3W Template with HXL and Cash (2020) and Sample Cash Dashboard from Somalia
- Glossary of Terminology for Cash and Voucher Assistance (2018)
- One humanity: shared responsibility. Report of the Secretary-General for the World Humanitarian Summit (2016)
- Doing cash differently: how cash transfers can transform humanitarian aid (2015)
- Cash and Vouchers Manual, Second edition 2014
- Good Practice Review: cash transfer programming in emergencies (2011)
Cash and Voucher Assistance reports
Sri Lanka: Cash & Voucher Assistance for House Repairs - Operational Guidance
Ukraine Cash Working Group, 28 January 2026 [Meeting Minutes] [EN/UK]
Please refer to the attached file.
El Salvador - Key Message Update: Average cash crop labor demand and food stocks drive seasonal improvement, January - May 2026
Key Messages In January, household food access remained relatively stable compared to late 2025, supported by seasonal increases in income from average agricultural labor demand for coffee and...
Maps and Infographics
Resources
E-LEARNING
ONLINE TOOLKITS
- CALP Network Programme Quality Toolbox
- Cash in emergencies toolkit - ICRC & IFRC
- MARKit: Price monitoring, Analysis and Response Kit - CALP Network
- Operational Guidance and Multipurpose Grant Toolkit - UNHCR, CALP Network, OCHA, Oxfam, Save the Children, WFP.
- EMMA toolkit : Emergency Market Mapping Analysis - IRC, Oxfam, InterAction & Practical Action