Design a response with people affected by crisis

Editorial synthesis by Salient One · Published 4 November 2026. Apply the current donor documents and relevant local guidance to your project.

Listen to people and understand their priorities

Begin with the priorities, capacities and choices of people affected by crisis. Work with them to understand specific needs, barriers to support and the changes they want. Define the affected population and geography using the best available assessment and direct engagement. Record when the evidence was collected, who was consulted, who could not participate and the consequences of those gaps. Disaggregate where it is safe and useful; do not infer that all groups face the same barriers. Cross-check the proposed intervention against relevant interagency needs analysis, local coordination and response plans, while recognising that a plan does not replace community consultation. OCHA’s programme cycle overview and response planning guidance explain the link between analysis, objectives and monitoring.

Develop the response with communities

Agree the priority problem and intended changes with communities and local partners, then translate them into a small set of outcomes, outputs and activities. State the causal assumptions: why these activities should produce the intended change, what other actors must do, and what could prevent it. Set transparent selection criteria and explain how people can understand and challenge decisions. Consider alternatives, including strengthening existing local services, and involve local organisations in choices about responsibilities, resources and delivery. Document the basis for each major choice and the points at which the team will reconsider it.

Apply standards

Use the Sphere Handbook to select relevant technical standards and indicators for the sector, and explain how they will be applied in context. Use the 2024 Core Humanitarian Standard to design participation, accessible communication, feedback and complaints, safeguarding, coordination and learning into the operating model. Assign owners and resources to these functions. The 2018 Sphere Handbook contains the earlier CHS; the separate 2024 standard is the updated edition.

Choose the modality

Choose modalities based on evidence rather than habit. If considering cash or vouchers, assess markets, access, delivery options, protection, data security, recipient preferences and the organisation’s operational capacity. The CALP Programme Quality Toolbox connects programme stages with practical guidance. A market assessment may indicate that a different or combined modality is more appropriate.

Monitor and adapt

Finish with a monitoring and adaptation plan that a field team can actually use. For each outcome, identify an indicator, baseline or baseline plan, source, collection frequency and responsible person. Include qualitative feedback and a process for investigating harm or exclusion. Establish review points, thresholds for escalation and authority to change activities. Budget for delivery, partner support, monitoring, accountability and realistic access constraints. Before submission, test whether the narrative, results framework, workplan and budget describe the same programme and whether local partners agree that the commitments are feasible.

References

References reviewed 4 November 2026. Links and requirements can change.