Proactive funding to tackle climate disasters

There are urgent crises that require urgent action. But there are also crises we can see coming. Floods, droughts and heatwaves often follow regular and predictable patterns. Evidence shows that around 55% of humanitarian funding goes to crises like these – yet only about 1% of this funding is organised in advance, despite being far more effective. Acting earlier can prevent disasters from escalating and reduce harm to people and livelihoods.

That is why we partner with Start Network, a global network of more than 100 organisations working together, to shift the humanitarian system from reactive response to proactive early action. Through this partnership, the H&M Foundation supports two complementary financing mechanisms: Start Ready and Start Fund.

Start Ready: anticipatory finance for predictable climate risks

Start Ready focuses on anticipatory action for predictable climate risks. It is an innovative disaster risk financing mechanism that disburses funding when model- based thresholds are reached. For example, when river levels exceed a pre-agreed level that indicate a high likelihood of flooding, Start Ready automatically disburses funding for organisations to act before the crisis peaks.

Through Start Ready, funds are prepositioned in country-based disaster risk financing systems. Local actors decide in advance what actions to take and when, based on their specific risks and contexts. This enables communities to act earlier and shifts humanitarian response from reacting in the event of a crisis to protecting lives and livelihoods before an emergency escalates. Start Ready currently supports approximately 1 million people each year across nine countries, strengthening national and local preparedness systems for climate-related shocks.

Start Fund: rapid support when crises cannot be predicted

Start Fund complements this approach. While Start Ready is designed for risks that can be modelled and triggered in advance, not all crises fit neatly into predefined parameters. Some emergencies are smaller in scale, harder to forecast, or identified first through local knowledge rather than data alone. Start Fund provides rapid, flexible funding for these under-the-radar crises. Through a locally led, participatory decision-making process, members can release funds quickly when they see a crisis unfolding – even if formal triggers have not been met. This human judgement is critical in contexts such as wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters that are less easy to predict.

Together, Start Ready and Start Fund enable anticipatory action across a wider range of risks and contexts. By supporting both mechanisms, they project ensures support reaches communities earlier, more effectively, and closer to where decisions matter most.