Financing Locally-Led Humanitarian Action - Designing sustainable models that work at scale

22 Oct 2026
Innovative Finance Pavilion and Conference

This session explores what it will take to move beyond localisation as a policy commitment towards financing models that enable locally led humanitarian action at scale. Bringing together donors, local organisations and INGOs, the discussion will examine how financing can support sustainable local leadership rather than isolated projects. The panel will explore practical approaches such as direct financing, pooled funds, locally managed financing mechanisms and risk-sharing models, while examining the governance, partnerships and enabling conditions needed to make these approaches work in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Speakers
John Ede
John Ede, Chief Executive Officer & President - Ohaha Family Foundation
Sanda Kyaw Win
Sanda Kyaw Win, Chair - Local Network
Marcela Gonzalez
Marcela Gonzalez, Program Officer, Refugees - Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Martin Samuelsen
Martin Samuelsen, Head of Section for Humanitarian Response - NORAD
Wei San Lee
Wei San Lee, Senior Manager - Grants Strategy (SEA) - Women's Fund Asia & First Response Fund