Start Network

Start Network
Name	Start Network
Type	International humanitarian network
Founded	2010
Headquarters	London
Region served	Global
Members	Independent NGOs, UN agencies, research institutes

Start Network

Start Network is an international humanitarian alliance that coordinates rapid funding, research, and operational responses to sudden-onset disasters and protracted crises. It brings together independent non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, research institutes such as the Overseas Development Institute, and private sector partners to accelerate anticipatory action, pooled financing, and operational innovation. The network emphasizes mechanisms for rapid transfer of resources, pre-agreed triggers for assistance, and collaborative learning across actors including humanitarian clusters such as OCHA and donor consortia like the European Commission.

Overview

Start Network operates as a consortium of distinct humanitarian and development organizations, coordinating pooled funds, forecast-based financing, and rapid response systems. Its mechanisms intersect with international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Humanitarian Programme Cycle, and commitments under the Grand Bargain. The network's activities engage actors across civil society, multilateral institutions including the World Food Programme and UNICEF, and research partners like the Centre for Humanitarian Change. It is governed through an elected board comprising representatives from member NGOs and institutional partners, linking strategic decision-making with operational actors such as Mercy Corps, Save the Children, and International Rescue Committee.

History

The network emerged from discussions among humanitarian leaders seeking faster, more anticipatory responses after high-profile crises including the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2011 East Africa drought. Formal establishment in 2010 followed pilot initiatives on pooled cash mechanisms and early action trials inspired by forecast-based financing pilots in countries affected by cyclones such as Cyclone Pam and flood events in Bangladesh. Over time the alliance expanded through membership drives involving organizations with operational footprints in conflict-affected settings like Syria and disaster-prone regions such as the Philippines. Milestones include linking with research institutions that produced guidance in the wake of the 2014 Ebola outbreak and adapting protocols influenced by evaluations of Typhoon Haiyan response operations.

Structure and Membership

Governance combines an elected board, a secretariat based in London, and thematic working groups that coordinate with sectoral clusters including IFRC-linked networks and UN-led coordination mechanisms. Membership spans INGOs, national NGOs, and institutional partners: notable members include Oxfam, CARE International, ActionAid, and academic partners such as London School of Economics researchers. The network’s structure supports country-level hubs that link national actors—for example, collaborations with Philippine Red Cross and national societies in Nepal—and global partners including the UK Department for International Development and multilateral banks like the World Bank on resilience financing. Decision-making uses membership votes for policy shifts and technical committees for modalities such as anticipatory triggers and monitoring, with ethics oversight drawing on standards from the Sphere Project and humanitarian charter frameworks.

Programs and Activities

Programs prioritize anticipatory action, pooled financing, capacity building, and innovation labs. Forecast-based financing pilots use early warning data from agencies such as Famine Early Warning Systems Network and World Meteorological Organization guidance to release funds before shocks escalate. Response pools enable rapid cash transfers to operators on the ground including Doctors Without Borders and local NGOs during sudden-onset emergencies like earthquakes in Turkey or floods in Mozambique. Training and capacity-building engage actors in risk-prone areas through partnerships with institutes such as Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and Johns Hopkins centers for public health. Innovation activities collaborate with private sector partners like Google and tech hubs to develop data-driven targeting, while monitoring and evaluation draw on methodologies from organizations such as Development Initiatives and the International Rescue Committee.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding mixes multi-donor pooled contributions, bilateral grants, philanthropic endowments, and private sector support. Institutional donors have included national aid agencies such as the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, alongside philanthropic partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Partnerships span UN agencies including WFP and UNHCR, academic partners from King’s College London and the Institute of Development Studies, and private firms providing technology and logistics. Financial mechanisms include conditional cash windows, forecast-linked triggers, and contingency financing instruments aligned with international humanitarian finance reforms like the Grand Bargain commitments.

Impact and Criticism

Impact assessments attribute faster fund disbursement, improved anticipatory actions, and enhanced coordination to the network, with documented responses in crises ranging from droughts in the Sahel to tropical cyclones in Vanuatu. Independent evaluations have highlighted reductions in response times and increases in beneficiary coverage where forecast triggers were applied. Criticism has focused on governance transparency, the balance between international and national actors, and the complexity of trigger design; commentators from civil society and academic outlets such as ODI and Chatham House have called for clearer accountability, greater localization in partnerships with grassroots groups, and rigorous impact evaluation. Debates also consider potential overlaps with existing mechanisms coordinated by OCHA and questions about sustainability of donor funding amid competing global priorities such as responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Category:Humanitarian aid organizations