When international aid is delayed, local communities suffer. A study in Kenya found that only 43% of funds from INGOs reached local organisations on time.

This raises an important question—are these organisations genuinely meeting local needs? You rely on timely support for emergency response, development, and sustainability.

But if funding is slow, progress is delayed. You need aid that is fast, efficient, and responsive. It’s time to examine whether INGOs are delivering on their promises and ensuring local communities get the help they need when they need it.

What Is Localisation of Aid?

Aid localisation allows communities to take the lead in their humanitarian action. Rather than depending on international institutions to call the shots, you give the affected population power, resources, and authority to make decisions.

Therefore, local players ensure that the aid provided is more responsive and appropriate for the community. Localising aid means that you’re not just helping in emergencies. You’re also actively building long-term resilience and ensuring that aid is effective.

Humanitarian assistance is becoming more responsive and just. It’s a positive step in the right direction.

When it comes to localisation of aid, you might wonder if INGOs are genuinely committed. For example, 61% of local NGOs report struggling to secure long-term funding, which hampers their ability to plan effectively.

Meanwhile, 58% of local organisations say they receive insufficient support in emergency response planning. Additionally, only 32% of local partnerships involve equal decision-making power.

These numbers show that while progress has been made, INGOs still have a long way to go to genuinely empower local actors and truly walk the talk in their commitments.

Also Read: Understanding Cash and Voucher Assistance in Humanitarian Aid

Challenges and Gaps

Delays in Funding Disbursement

When INGOs delay funding, local organisations struggle to meet urgent needs. This hampers their ability to provide timely and effective aid, resulting in missed opportunities to address crises efficiently and support affected communities.

Lack of Tailored Capacity-Building Support

While capacity-building activities exist, they often lack personalisation. Local organisations need tailored support to address specific challenges, build skills, and strengthen their capabilities to respond to crises effectively.

Issues with Collaborative and Accountable Partnerships

Collaborative and accountable partnerships are rare, with only 43% considered collaborative. This lack of collaboration and accountability undermines trust and cooperation, making it challenging to achieve meaningful aid localisation.

Competition Among Local NGOs for Funding and Resources

Increased competition among local NGOs for limited funding and resources forces them to prioritise short-term goals over long-term commitments. This competitive environment hinders sustainable growth and practical humanitarian efforts.

Also Read: Impact of Cutting USAID Fund on the NGOs and the World

Impact on Local Organisations

You should know that local organisations often face challenges when big international NGOs (INGOs) lead aid efforts. Many local groups are more connected to their communities and can respond faster and cost-effectively.

Research shows that local organisations deliver assistance up to 17% more cost-efficiently than international counterparts. However, only about 1.2% of humanitarian funding reached local actors in 2022, far below the agreed target of 25%. This gap means you might see a disconnect between the aid delivered and communities’ real needs.

Local voices and expertise are sometimes overlooked when international organisations lead projects, leaving communities less empowered.

You need to push for more equitable partnerships that put local organisations in a leading role, ensuring that aid is cheaper and better suited to meet the specific needs of those affected by crises. Act now for change.

INGOs’ Efforts and Initiatives

International non-governmental organisations are making significant strides in aligning their efforts with local needs. Many INGOs now emphasise collaboration with regional partners to ensure aid is genuinely compelling.

Innovative approaches include transferring more decision-making power and resources to community organisations. Recent studies show that only about 20% of international aid reaches local actors, highlighting the need for improvement.

Successful initiatives by INGOs involve joint planning, shared leadership, and transparency in resource allocation. You can adopt these best practices by engaging with community leaders and tailoring your strategies to the unique challenges.

Focusing on localisation empowers communities to drive their development and create sustainable change. This approach increases accountability and ensures that the help provided is relevant, timely, and genuinely beneficial for local populations.

You should embrace these strategies to maximise impact and foster lasting development.

Recommendations for Improvement

Enhancing Funding Disbursement Processes

For NGOs to provide proper assistance, they must improve their fund allocation methods. That would mean advancing the release of the capital, lowering the regulations, and ensuring that local bodies get the funds when needed.

Providing Tailored Capacity-Building Support

Capacity-building processes should be designed to serve the underlying needs of local institutions. This enables local responders to train, access resources, and provide adequate support to address immediate needs while building sustainable long-term solutions.

Strengthening Collaborative and Accountable Partnerships

It is essential to promote partnerships that are genuinely collaborative and accountable. This includes giving local organisations a voice in decision-making, ensuring an open flow of information, and building trust to increase the effectiveness and fairness of humanitarian actions.

Encouraging Long-Term Commitments to Local Organisations

Greater involvement of local organisations should be encouraged from the INGO side by providing long-term support. This helps maintain the support and allows local leaders to formulate and implement initiatives that substantially benefit their constituents.

Localisation of Aid: Are INGOs Walking The Talk?

If you’re curious whether international NGOs (INGOs) truly support the localisation of aid, here are some essential insights.

For starters, only 43% of funds from INGOs are disbursed on time. This delay significantly hampers local organisations’ abilities to respond effectively.

Moreover, while 71% of local organisations engage in capacity-building activities, tailored support addressing their specific needs is scarce. Partnerships are another area needing improvement, with only 43% considered collaborative and none deemed accountable.

In Afghanistan, increased competition among newly registered NGOs has led many local organisations to focus on short-term funding cycles, losing sight of long-term goals. This competitive environment has made it challenging for local NGOs to secure their needed resources.

So, while there has been some progress in the localisation of aid, it’s clear that INGOs still have a long way to go to walk the talk and truly support local actors.

Conclusion

Aid localisation is crucial for making real change. You need solutions that truly support local needs, not just broad strategies.

At ICS, we help you use technology and AI to improve operations and scale your efforts. You can overcome challenges and deliver better aid by focusing on innovative solutions.

The goal is to empower local communities and make assistance more effective and sustainable. Your work matters, and you can make an even more significant impact with the right tools.

Let’s create solutions that drive real change together!