There is no doubt that the world is currently experiencing multiple, complex, and protracted crises. These crises have led to increasingly intense and complicated demands on both philanthropy and the humanitarian sector to deliver more funding and more flexible funding. Particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, philanthropy has attempted to reshape itself to better meet the needs of civil society. In order to ensure that this effort to reshape the sector is successful, feminist philanthropy and the humanitarian sector must join forces.

Despite moving unprecedented amounts of funding, in more flexible ways, the philanthropic sector continues to face significant challenges and unmet needs that could be remedied by bridging feminist philanthropy and the humanitarian sector. Similarly, the institutions and mechanisms that make up the humanitarian sector have experienced increasingly complex demands for their work as the climate crisis, armed conflict, and complicated economic and political contexts continue to test its capacity to respond.

In December 2023, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024 forewarned of the complexity and resources it would take to address multiple humanitarian crises. The report claimed that it would require ‘$49 billion to assist 186.6 million of the people in need across 73 countries through 43 coordinated response plans.’ Six months later, OCHA’s mid-year update made clear that crises have intensified and their funding needs have been unmet, demonstrating the need to bridge feminist philanthropy and the humanitarian sector.

The Potential for Collaboration Between Feminist Philanthropy and the Humanitarian Sector

Silos persist between feminist philanthropy and the humanitarian sector, even as we contend with similar issues. We cannot ignore that we are living in the age of polycrisis – and marginalised communities are bearing the brunt of the impact. How can the philanthropic and humanitarian sectors join forces to ensure that civil society and communities on the frontlines of these crises get the kind of support they need? This is a critical question that we invite funders and peers to explore as we come together during Moving Money, Building Movements, an opportunity to discuss how we can better support frontline responders navigate these challenging times.

Given the complexity of crises, we need different response mechanisms to ensure that the variety of resources required to respond are effectively reaching the communities and organisations that are most impacted. Feminist philanthropy and the humanitarian sector plays a critical role in providing aid where national government responses are limited or not possible.

Read the full article about feminist philanthropy and the humanitarian sector by Sandra Macías del Villar, Celia Turner, Jean Kemitare, and Helen Lindley-Jones at Alliance Magazine.