International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - Disasters

There are two kinds of appeals: annual appeals and emergency appeals.

The annual appeal is launched at the beginning of each year to fund programmes that meet an identified need that year. Programme updates and annual reports report on these activities.

Emergency appeals are issued during the year in response to disasters that arise - their timeline is flexible. Operations updates, interim narratives & financial reports and final reports report on these activities.

Type of appeal	Timing - when issued or launched	Type of document
Annual appeal: Country, Region, and Global Programmes	November or December each year.	Annual appeal: Issued on a yearly or 2-yearly basis as a document for donors which outlines the International Federation’s programmes and objectives; provides a vehicle for donors to support non-emergency programmes. Programme update: Minimum of 2 issued during the year - the first before 30 June, the second before 31 December. Reports on activities and progress towards meeting objectives. Annual report (on annual appeals/operations): Issued for donors by 31 May of the following year; reports on achievements and impact of programme.
Emergency appeals	Can be issued within hours after a major emergency or disaster (often in the form of a preliminary appeal, subject to revision).	Emergency appeal: Is a plan articulating how the International Federation plans to respond to an emergency situation, where there are significant needs for which international assistance is required. And emergency Aappeal is always based on a request from a member National Society and is usually issued on the basis of a needs assessment. Consists of a narrative and a corresponding budget. Operations update: First update issued within 30 days of the appeal launch; other updates are issued during the course of the operation. Intended to provide an objective-based summary of activities and provide donors with a view of achievements, impact and constraints of an operation; consists of a narrative and current financial status report. Interim narrative and financial report: Applies primarily to emergency appeals which have been extended; due three months after the original planned end-date of the operation. Final report: Issued within 90 days after the end of the operation; presents the final closing narrative and financial statement of an Emergency Appeal; intended to provide an overview analysis of the overall effectiveness of an International Federation operation, together with the corresponding financial information, indicating lessons learned and impact.
DREF bulletin	Immediately after a small-scale emergency or disaster where DREF has been allocated; or to jump-start a large emergency operation.	Annual DREF appeal: Issued when a DREF allocation is made and the activities are normally fully funded from DREF. The reporting is intentionally light, the DREF itself benefits from frequent reports that focus particularly on impact; can turn into an emergency appeal. Reporting is accomplished through subsequent DREF bulletin updates. DREF bulletin final report: (narrative and financial) is required within 90 days/three months after the end of the operating timeframe. The DREF final report is intended to show the impact of DREF.
Information bulletin	Within hours of an emergency event.	Information bulletin: Used to capture a situation that has had or could have significant humanitarian consequences; to report on Red Cross Red Crescent action when a small-scale disaster has occurred but no further action or support is intended. Normally no DREF is allocated.