I raise funding 

 Institutional back-donors 

• DG Echo (Further information) 

• French Teams Funds - Civil society organisation (Fonds Equipe France - Organisation de la société civile, FEF- OSC) : intended for the development of branches or Mothers' clubs.

• The AFD's Financing for Civil Society Organizations : 

• Erasmus +, International cooperation project based on multilateral partnerships to strengthen actors and organisations in higher education, vocational education and training, and youth.

 Movement funds 

The Capacity Building Fund (CBF)

The Capacity Building Fund (CBF) is managed by the IFRC and consists of unallocated reserves. It is the IFRC's largest investment mechanism for the development of NSs. It is very simple and flexible, with particularly rapid decision-making and an average response time of 11 days after project submission.

Who is it for? It is open to all 191 NS (no longer 192, as the Nicaraguan Red Cross was dissolved in May 2023).

When? At any time, there is no call for proposals, so there is no competition between NS.

What for? Four specific development priorities are funded (linked to the seven transformations of the IFRC's 2030 strategy):

• Integrity, transparency and accountability

• Financial sustainability

• Youth development and volunteering

• System development and digital transformation

NEW: two new themes were added when the CBF was overhauled in 2021: Protection, Gender and Inclusion + Branch Development

How much? The grant is capped at CHF 100,000 and there is no limit to the number of applications that can be submitted on behalf of an NS. It should be noted that this funding is intended to act as a lever to enable an NS to raise additional funds (in particular from other components of the Movement) on the basis of positive pillars.

In 2022, the IFRC released CHF 5 million and funded 59 NS. These include Burundi, the DRC, Lebanon, Niger, Syria and Palestine.

The resources and guide are available on the IFRC's Fednet website (you must be registered to access them).

Details of approved CBF requests

National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA)

The National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA) is a funding mechanism jointly managed by the IFRC and the ICRC. It provides flexible, multi-year funding to support the long-term development of NSs.

Who is it for ? The Alliance is open to NS operating in fragile and protracted crisis contexts and is based on the INFORM Risk Management Index (INFORM index). You can find an yearly updated list of eligible countries on the NSIA website.

When ? Elegible NS have until June of a given year to apply and if the application is accepted funding is announced in October of the same year. A report must be submitted the following calendar year. 

The NSIA offers two types of funding:

• The NSIA "Accelerator": up to 1 million CHF for organisational development and long-term sustainability of the NS. It is part of a 3 to 5-year plan and is reviewed annually. If the aim is to develop the NS as a whole, particular emphasis should be placed on specific areas such as: governance, transparency and accountability/legal basis, statutes/design, programme quality and effectiveness/HR, logistics, safety and security/resource mobilisation through IGAs, etc.

• "Bridge" grants: up to 50,000 CHF over one year, these are bridging grants intended to prepare NS to apply for the NSIA accelerator (and involve the development of an investment plan based, for example, on an OCAC, a financial audit, a framework for more secure access, etc.).

The Lebanese Red Cross was the first NS to benefit from the accelerator in 2019. In this short clip, you can watch the testimony of the Lebanese RC's Secretary General, who explains what the NSIA accelerator funding has enabled him to develop within his NS.

Yearly reports of the NSIA can be found on their website for more specific information about NSs which have received funding.

The Empress Shôken Fund (ESF)

The Empress Shôken Fund (founder of the Japanese Red Cross), jointly managed by the IFRC and the ICRC, provides small annual grants to support the activities of NS in times of peace. It is funded mainly by the Imperial Family, the Japanese government and the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Who is it for? Priority is given to NSs in developing countries and, among these, to those that have received the least support from the Fund in previous years.

What does it fund? The Fund particularly encourages projects based on innovative approaches that contribute to addressing humanitarian challenges and strengthening NS. It pays particular attention to inventive approaches and new ideas that can provide new insights and knowledge that could benefit the entire Movement. However, proposed projects must fall within one of the following themes:

• disaster preparedness

• health

• blood banks and transfusion

• youth

• first aid and rescue

• social services

• dissemination of humanitarian ideals

How much? Funding rarely exceeds 30,000 CHF and priority is given to smaller budgets, particularly when the NS contributes to the project with its own resources.

When? Grants are announced each year on the 11th of April (the anniversary of the death of Empress Shôken), and projects must be submitted by 31 December of the previous year.

In 2022, the fund received 52 applications and funded 13 NS (including Guinea, Burundi and Syria) for a total amount of 367,187 CHF.

More information here and on fednet.

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If you would like to add essential resources or for further information, please contact the NSD department:

sdsn.doi@croix-rouge.fr