Triangle was commissioned by Start Network to conduct an independent review of the Ukraine Local Pooled Fund (UPF)—a pioneering, locally led humanitarian financing mechanism established by the National Network for Local Philanthropy Development (NNLPD) with support from Start Network and funding from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). The review examined the fund’s inception phase, assessing its governance structures, risk-sharing mechanisms, and due diligence frameworks to evaluate its alignment with localization principles and its early implementation outcomes.

The UPF was launched in late 2023 to transfer power and resources to Ukrainian civil society responders amid the ongoing war. Designed to be inclusive of organizations of all sizes, the fund adopted simplified compliance procedures and tiered due diligence to make financing more accessible to local and national actors. Despite significant challenges—ranging from short implementation timelines and complex international compliance requirements to overlapping institutional roles—the fund successfully disbursed nine grants totaling £301,000 to Ukrainian NGOs, enabling them to continue providing critical services such as evacuations, water and sanitation, psychosocial support, and healthcare in hard-hit areas.

Triangle’s review found that, while the UPF faced substantial operational constraints, it nonetheless delivered meaningful impact and demonstrated that locally led humanitarian financing is both viable and essential in high-stakes contexts. The evaluation underscored key lessons on risk management, partnership dynamics, and structural barriers to localization, offering targeted recommendations for future pooled fund initiatives. The report also highlighted how the pilot strengthened NNLPD’s institutional capacity, positioning it as a leading advocate for locally led financing in Ukraine and beyond.