Funds for National Society development

The IFRC provides financial support to National Society development through three different funds, two of which are delivered in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Together, the funds provide a wide range of development and technical support to National Societies to help them become stronger, more sustainable and more effective.

Explore the funds

At the Zimbabwe Red Cross training centre in Highfields, Harare, a Red Cross instructor teaches some of the basic principles of how to administer first aid and provide basic healthcare. The ZRCS training centres provide many first aid and healthcare courses at different levels to students around Zimbabwe.

Capacity Building Fund

The Capacity Building Fund (CBF) provides small, time-bound grants to Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, enabling them to increase the scale and quality of their services and programme delivery within their communities.

A Ugandan Red Cross volunteer encourages her community to attend a mobile cinema event where they can learn more about Ebola and how to protect themselves and their families

National Society Investment Alliance

The NSIA is a pooled funding mechanism, run jointly by the IFRC and ICRC. It mainly focuses on very high and high-risk environments and can provide flexible, multi-year funding to support long-term organizational development.

Three female junior Red Cross volunteers in Nepal sit together in their secondary school in Madi, Chitawan province, where they have been trained in how to prepare for earthquakes and other disasters and share this knowledge with their communities.

Empress Shôken Fund

The Empress Shôken Fund, run jointly by the IFRC and ICRC, provides small annual grants to support the peacetime activities of National Societies. Funds are consistent, predictable and are prioritized for innovation and learning.

Find out more

If you would like to know more about any of the above funds for National Society development, please contact [email protected] for further information and resources.