OCHA/UHF

OCHA was established in 1991 to strengthen coordination of humanitarian assistance within the UN system. It manages country-based pooled funds (CBPFs) in about 20 countries, designed to provide rapid, flexible, and unearmarked funding directly to implementing partners. The Ukraine Humanitarian Fund was established in 2014 following the first phase of conflict and significantly scaled up after 2022.

The UHF has become one of the most strategically important funding mechanisms in Ukraine, offering two types of allocations: Standard (large strategic grants aligned with the Humanitarian Response Plan) and Reserve (rapid-onset emergency response). Since February 2022, the UHF has received contributions from over 20 donor governments and disbursed hundreds of millions of dollars to both international and national NGOs. CARE has been a UHF implementing partner and the fund is a critical reference for project design — UHF allocations signal sectoral and geographic priorities and shape competitive positioning for humanitarian organizations in Ukraine.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) manages the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), a country-based pooled fund (CBPF) that provides flexible, rapid funding to front-line humanitarian partners in Ukraine. UHF allocates grants to both international and national NGOs operating in the most affected areas.

Ukraine Commitment

The UHF is one of the largest country-based pooled funds globally, having mobilized over $650 million since its inception, with annual allocations prioritizing underfunded sectors and hard-to-reach populations; it is a key mechanism for flexible, rapid funding to front-line partners in Ukraine.