Academy › Coordination and clusters

Day 3 of 3 · 6 hours · Level 3 Advanced · Advanced module

Leading coordination and influencing decisions

Learning objectives for today
  • Run an effective and inclusive coordination meeting.
  • Use pooled funds and response plans as levers.
  • Advance localisation in coordination mechanisms.

1Leading a cluster or working group

A useful cluster produces decisions, not just meetings. Good practice: agenda sent 48 hours ahead with the documents, clearly identified decision points, minutes within 72 hours with the list of actions, owners and deadlines. Interpretation and the local language allow national NGOs to take part.

The cluster's terms of reference set the rules: membership, decision-making, strategic advisory group (SAG), management of conflicts of interest. The annual Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM) lets members assess the coordination.

2Pooled funds and response plans as levers

Country-based pooled funds (CBPF), managed by OCHA under the Humanitarian Coordinator's authority, fund national and international NGOs and agencies directly. Clusters set the allocation priorities and take part in the technical review of projects. The CERF funds UN agencies, which may sub-grant to partners.

The Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) rests on the needs overview (HNO) and the Joint Intersectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF). Being present in these processes means influencing where and how humanitarian money is spent.

3Localisation: sharing power

Since the Grand Bargain (2016), signatories have committed to fund local and national actors more and more directly, and to include them in coordination. In practice: national NGO co-leadership of clusters, seats on the SAG and on the pooled fund's advisory board, indirect costs for local partners, and accessible meetings (language, venue, timing).

Localisation is not subcontracting: it means recognising local expertise and sharing decisions, not only tasks.

Exercise: prepare a cluster meeting

Prepare the agenda for a 90-minute meeting of a cluster of your choice: three decision points, the documents to send, the participants to invite (including national NGOs), and the minutes template with the action table.

Key points

  • A useful cluster produces decisions that are followed up: agenda, actions, owners, deadlines.
  • Terms of reference, SAG and CCPM frame cluster governance.
  • CBPF: NGOs and agencies; CERF: UN agencies; HRP based on the HNO and the JIAF.
  • Localisation: co-leadership, direct funding, indirect costs, accessible meetings.
Further reading: course references
  1. OCHA / IASC (2023). Humanitarian Programme Cycle: reference documents. www.humanitarianresponse.info
  2. IASC (2024). Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) reference documents. interagencystandingcommittee.org
  3. IASC (2015). Reference Module for Cluster Coordination at Country Level. interagencystandingcommittee.org
  4. OCHA (2007). Oslo Guidelines and MCDA Guidelines on the use of military assets. www.unocha.org

Daily quiz

3 questions to check what you have learned. Answer them all to complete the day.

1Who manages country-based pooled funds (CBPF)?
2Which international commitment concerns the localisation of aid?
3The CCPM is:

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Other sites to visit

ScholarshipsScholarMapScholarships around the world, with deadlines and official links.Free PDF toolsPDF EasyMerge, compress, convert to Word or JPG: free, no sign-up.NGO fundingNGO FundsWho funds whom in every country, funding needs and calls for proposals.UN and NGO tendersHumanitarian TendersGoods, services, works and consultancy contracts, country by country, with deadlines.