Start Fund: Learning from Decision-Making

Previous learning products on cash, accountability, slow-onset crises and disease outbreaks have all referenced Start decisions, as has the Start Fund evaluation. Humanitarian response requires practitioners to make complex decisions about how, when, and who to support before, during and after a disaster. This learning review aims to further explore the approach, rationale and criterias taken in decisions to activate the Start Fund and to select projects for implementation.

The review explores the decision-making process during Alerts raised in 2017 (Alert 135 to Alert 195, including anticipation alerts and alerts B001-B004 in Bangladesh) by systematically reviewing the minutes of 64 Allocation and 42 Project Selection meetings. It also draws upon seven interviews with the Start Fund team and Members that have participated in decision-making forums. This review is concerned with the factors that decision-makers state as informing their decisions. Analysis of the behavioural factors and biases inherent in any decision-making process is being conducted separately in partnership with CRUISSE Network and Warwick University.