Research & Learning

Want to learn more about how Self Help Groups generate such transformative outcomes? Check out our resource library dedicated exclusively to the model!

Passing the Buck: The Economics Of Localizing Aid

A cost-efficiency analysis by the Share Trust and the Warande Advisory Centre estimates the economic implications of shifting 25% of ODA - aligned with Grand Bargain and USAID commitments - from international to local intermediary structures. It calculates that local intermediaries could deliver programming that is 32% more cost efficient than international intermediaries, by stripping out inflated international overhead and salary costs. Applied to the ODA funding flows allocated to UN/INGOs in 2018 ($54bn), this would equate to US$4.3bn annually.

Passing the Buck: Case Study of a Pooled Fund in the Middle East

The Share Trust completed a detailed analysis of a $60 million Alternative Pooled Fund model in the Middle East, applying the same cost-efficiency analysis model from Passing the Buck. This analysis finds that redeploying funds from an international partner to a local partner would result in cost efficiencies of 13.6% on salaries and overheads alone, realizing $545,000 in savings that can be used to deliver against unmet humanitarian needs.

Passing the Buck: the Economics of Localizing Aid in Ukraine

Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, it is crucial to shift humanitarian leadership and resources to local responders. Currently, only 0.07% of funding in Ukraine reaches local actors. The Share Trust conducted a detailed analysis on the cost efficiency of funding local intermediaries, revealing that local intermediaries deliver programs 15.5% more cost-efficiently than international counterparts, based on actual project data representing 30% of total funding through the CBPF. This analysis is based on a representative sample of budgets from the UNOCHA Country Based Pooled Fund (CBPF) for 2023, covering funding across UN, INGOs, and LNGOs. Over the past year and a half, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF)—the world's largest pooled fund at $181.2 million in 2023—has made notable progress in reallocating resources and leadership to Ukrainian responders.

Shifting Power and Funding to Local Actors: Localising Humanitarian Pooled Funding in Syria

The Share Trust and The Aid Fund for Northern Syria (AFNS) developed a localisation strategy for delivering more aid locally in order to meet priority needs in the north of Syria. AFNS is a pooled fund that to date has channeled around $80M directly to local organizations. This strategy draws upon consultations in August 2023 with key stakeholders, including affected communities, local actors, international actors, regional experts, and donors. As a result of this joint work, AFNS will provide a full pass through of overheads to smaller, grassroots organizations, even when working in partnership with larger INGOs. These organizations will now be able to receive vital operational support directly from the AFNS, ensuring assistance reaches those most in need.

Understanding the link between resilience, psychosocial factors and Self Help Groups

Mercy Corps and the Share Trust researched the linkages between psychosocial factors and resilience, particularly focusing on the role played by women’s groups. Psychosocial factors such as social capital, empowerment, aspiration and self-efficacy are increasingly linked to resilience, and SHGs are a key mechanism for building such capacities. We examined the process of change linking participation in women’s collectives with social empowerment and resilience, and the specific conditions that augment these pathways.

Funding for women and girls in humanitarian crises

A 2020 report by UN Women, UNFPA and the Share Trust found that global funding for women and girls in humanitarian crises is falling significantly short of requirements. The amount of funding categorized as going to women and girls is significantly overstated. The amount of funding requested for programming for women and girls falls significantly short of the overall request, and these programs are disproportionately underfunded compared to the overall response. This lifesaving programming is not receiving adequate support though evidence indicates that the benefits of gender-focused action are sizable, delivering average returns of $8 for every $1 spent.

Building resilience to conflict and drought in Somalia

The Share Trust, Concern Worldwide and Code Innovation worked together to understand how the Self Help Group network in Somalia is supporting individuals and communities to cope with shocks and stresses due to drought and conflict. Funded by the UK Department for International Development, we explored the existing evidence base, convened existing SHG practitioners to learn how they could best be supported to build a thriving ecosystem of SHGs, and investigated the role that SHGs play in people’s ability to cope with crisis.