Iraq: Expanded Humanitarian Response Fund Bulletin No. 24 - Nov & Dec 2009

The Expanded Humanitarian Response Fund (ERF) aims to help fill critical humanitarian gaps within different sectors through readily available flexible funding for emergency response to:

1. Save lives and protect threatened livelihoods

2. Meet critical short-term humanitarian needs

3. Respond to sudden-onset complex humanitarian emergencies.

The maximum grant possible through the fund is US$400,000. ERF resources address needs arising from both natural disasters as well as conflict-related or other man-made crises.

ERF Project Updates for November and December 2009:

During November and December 2009, 17 ERF projects involving 26 activities were underway. In addition to these projects, the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) approved six new projects with a total value of US$ $1,499,147. The six newly approved projects provide support to vulnerable Iraqi families in the Food Security, Water and Sanitation, and Shelter sectors.

Overall, the ERF's Technical Review Committee (TRC) has approved 90 project proposals since the beginning of the ERF Program in 2007.