The IFRC established the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC- DREF) in 1979.  As this brochure explaines, IFRC-DREF is an efficient, transparent, and truly localized way for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to access  international funding when national resources are insufficient. The IFRC-DREF has served as a pillar of support for National Societies emergency response for more than four decades and is now one of the oldest humanitarian pooled funds in the world. Originally designed to respond to small- and medium-sized disasters, the fund has evolved to include support for anticipatory action. Acting before a disaster allows us to respond even more effectively to different crises — saving more lives and livelihoods, minimizing impact, and preventing suffering.