Welcome to the Humanitarian Innovative Finance Hub (HIFHUB)
About the HIFHUB
The mission of The Humanitarian Innovative Finance Hub (HIFHUB) is to develop and support the greater use of innovative finance mechanisms within the Red Cross/Red Crescent (RCRC) network. We do so for the benefit of individuals and communities in vulnerable situations by tapping into the potential of innovative finance in designing and delivering more efficient, equitable, and impactful responses and services.
At the HIFHUB we pursue our mission through strengthening the RCRC ecosystem, developing capacity and knowledge of innovative finance as well as by providing advisory services and facilitating initiatives involving innovative finance.
We always carry out activities in close collaboration with partners from within and outside the RCRC Network – and we are keen to address humanitarian challenges and engage with innovative finance opportunities all over the world.
We act as a resource to complement and support ongoing innovative finance initiatives and activities by helping build, share, and disseminate knowledge and develop the network of colleagues and partners working with innovative finance.
What is Innovative Finance?
Innovative Finance covers instruments such as blended finance, results-based finance, crisis risk financing, funds and facilities, debt, equity, insurance, and impact investing. Here the innovative part is about applying proven financial mechanisms to well-known humanitarian and development problems, through new kinds of partnerships and ways of working for the humanitarian sector, and often while blending different – new and old – sources of funding and financing.
For example:
Financial products: Products meant to mobilize and raise funds from capital markets.
Risk mitigation mechanisms: mechanisms aimed at reducing (perceived) risks.
Results-based financing: payments linked to certain outcomes being met.
Technology-Enabled Solutions: financing mechanisms that leverage technology.
Debt management/swaps/conversion: mechanisms that reduce, extend or redirect a country’s debt when certain outcomes are met.
HIFHUB 2-Pager
Click here to view our 2-pager for an overview of the HIFHUB.