The Issue
Despite global recognition of the vital role local and national actors play in humanitarian response, they continue to face major barriers to meaningful participation and leadership. Local and national actors are often excluded from strategic decision-making and have limited access to coordination platforms.
One of the key challenges is the lack of institutional support and flexible funding, with most resources being conditional, short-term, and geared towards meeting donor requirements rather than building local capacity.
Trust between international donors and local and national actors remains low, further hindering direct funding and collaboration. Community-based organisations, especially those led by women, youth, and displaced persons, face even greater obstacles in accessing support and recognition. National and local networks hold great potential to strengthen collaboration and share capacity but are undervalued.
Without adequate investment in leadership development, peer learning, and inclusive coordination, local and national actors remain underrepresented and under-resourced.
This project aims to strengthen institutional and leadership capacities of local and national actors, promote more equitable partnerships, and enable diverse local actors to meaningfully engage in humanitarian decision-making and response. The goal is to foster a more inclusive, accountable, and effective humanitarian system that recognises and supports local leadership.
The Project
Local SPACE action will support local and national actors to take the lead in humanitarian response by strengthening their capacity, leadership, and access to decision-making spaces.
Through a network-based approach, the project will bring together diverse local and national actors – especially marginalised, women-led, and refugee-led groups – to engage in training, mentoring, peer learning, and leadership development.
Local actors will be supported to co-lead coordination processes and influence humanitarian planning. A tailored tool package will be developed in consultation with local and national actors, including coaching, organisational assessments, and locally relevant resources. Certified local mentors will support ongoing peer learning within networks.
The action also promotes advocacy led by local and national actors, aiming to build trust with donors and international agencies, increase direct funding, and promote more equal partnerships. Country-level events and global forums will help share learnings and drive broader change across the humanitarian sector.
The Change
Through the action local and national actors will be empowered to claim a seat at the table, participate actively in coordination and response, and strengthen advocacy locally and globally.
The Local SPACE project is expected to bring about lasting change by empowering local and national organisations to take the lead in humanitarian response. As a result of the project, these organisations will gain stronger leadership skills, improved internal systems, and greater access to funding and decision-making spaces.
Local actors, including those representing marginalised groups, will be better equipped to participate in humanitarian coordination, influence response strategies, and deliver aid more effectively in their communities.
By promoting inclusive leadership and building sustainable networks, the project will help shift the humanitarian system towards one that is more locally driven, equitable, and accountable. This transformation will not only improve the quality of assistance but also ensure that it is more responsive to the needs of people affected by crises.
The Partners
The Local SPACE project is implemented in a DCA-led consortium with five international NGOs; Trócaire, CAFOD, Christian Aid and Save the Children in Nigeria, South Sudan, Ethiopia, DRC, Iraq and Myanmar. Local and national organisations in the Local Space project work closely with several networks of similar actors with a focus on cascading capacity sharing within the networks.
- DanChurchAid
- CAFOD
- Christian Aid
- Trócaire
- Save the Children
About the project
- Title: Local SPACE: Enhancing the Space, Participation, Accountability, Capacity and Engagement of Local and National Actors in Humanitarian Aid Delivery
- Timeline: February 2025 to July 2026
- Partners: Trócaire, CAFOD, Christian Aid and Save the Children
- Amount: 1,850,000 EUR
- DCA Theme: Fight Extreme Inequality
- Expected number of people reached: 1,650 people
- Donor: The European Union
