Capacity Building Fund

The CBF is a funding mechanism that aims to strengthen the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, enabling them to increase the scale and quality of their humanitarian services and programs. National Societies with reinforced capacities can reach out to more people within their local communities, responding to more need and vulnerability.

About the Capacity Building Fund

The Capacity Building Fund (CBF), established as a cornerstone initiative of the IFRC in 2000, underwent a comprehensive re-engineering to align with the transformative goals of the IFRC Strategy 2030. The objective was to create an agile mechanism capable of promptly and efficiently responding to the priority needs of National Red Cross Red Crescent Societies. The re-engineered CBF was officially launched in August 2021, and since then, it has been providing resources to address National Societies’ developmental priorities in seven distinct areas.

The seven pillars of the Capacity Building Fund

  1. Integrity, Transparency and Accountability
    We support National Societies in fostering trust among stakeholders, establishing transparent governance systems, and upholding integrity in leadership and decision-making processes.
  2. Financial Sustainability
    We help National Societies mobilize and manage financial resources so that they can deliver services transparently, carry out governance reliably, and scale up their community support.
  3. Systems Development & Digital Transformation
    We support National Societies in developing their core systems for human resources and volunteer management, stewardship of financial resources, assessment and communication of impact, and all other data systems that ensure the efficient management of digital resources.
  4. Youth Engagement and Development
    We support National Societies in their efforts to engage passionate young people who want to contribute to humanitarian development. We do this by offering skill training and connecting them for leadership and teamwork through school programmes and dedicated spaces.
  5. Volunteering Development
    We assist and accompany National Societies as they further foster and expand their volunteer networks, invest in skill and leadership development, adopt advanced systems for volunteer management, and nurture volunteer motivation and engagement.
  6. Protection, Gender and Inclusion
    We support National Societies in establishing policies, systems, and inclusive workplace cultures that combat violence and discrimination, promote equality, and ensure safety. This includes measures to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and safeguarding children.
  7. Branch Development
    We support National Societies towards enabling branches to emerge as entities that deliver necessary action and service across the National Societies’ territory. Such work not only focuses on existing branches but includes setting up new branches and reinforcing the role of the existing ones.

CBF Value Propositions

Demand Driven

It directly addresses National Societies’ top identified development priorities.

Available 24/7

National Societies can access the CBF at any time, whenever there is a need – no fixed period for calls for proposals.

Agile mechanism

Simplified application, quick but highly professional review and approval processes.

No competition

Proposals do not compete with one another: each proposal is assessed within the operational context of the applicant National Society.

Successive injections

Consecutive investment of funds in smaller portions supporting a longer-term development process.

Learn more about the CBF

Red Crescent volunteer gives information through a bullhorn

Who is eligible to benefit from CBF support?

The Capacity Building Fund is dedicated exclusively to addressing the development needs of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

A Kyrgyzstan Red Crescent volunteer administers a measles vaccine to a young boy.

How is CBF managed and resourced?

CBF’s agile management processes ensure accountability and value of development investments. IFRC welcomes all interested partners to join us in this worthwhile endeavor.

Volunteers doing first aid training

CBF in figures

Check "read more" below to learn more about the substantial disbursements, the number of National Societies supported thus far and the continuous rise in investment figures with each passing month.

Watch: How National Societies are using CBF funding

More information

If you are from a National Society and would like more information about the CBF, you can find lots of related resources and guidance on Fednet.

For general enquiries, or if you or your organization is interested in contributing to the fund, please contact [email protected]