Publish Once, Use Often: Realising the promise of data in humanitarian work
Transparency in humanitarian and development financing remains a persistent challenge. While international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) publish data, they do so primarily to meet donor compliance requirements rather than as a strategic tool for accountability or coordination. The result is a fragmented information system where data is published inconsistently, often in inaccessible formats, and rarely used by those who need it most.
Local and national actors (LNAs), who are central to delivering aid and development programs, remain largely excluded from these reporting processes. Many lack access to INGO-published data, making it difficult for them to track funding flows, engage in decision-making, or advocate for resources. At the same time, their own activities remain largely invisible, as existing reporting platforms and processes are designed for larger organisations with greater technical capacity.
As discussions around localisation and equitable partnerships continue, the need for a more inclusive, accessible, and meaningful data-sharing ecosystem is becoming increasingly urgent. The current global uncertainty and turbulence – with a marked political and financial shift away from international solidarity – reaffirms the importance of making the most effective and efficient use of scarce resources. Data transparency, in the end, is simply a way of sharing information, which is a crucial foundation of any effective decision-making.
Purpose
The paper seeks to develop an approach to improving the transparency of funding transferred by ICVA members to humanitarian actors, in particular local and national NGOs. It has two main objectives:
- To analyse the key challenges to data reporting experienced by first line funding recipients and outline proposed solutions to inform an action plan for uptake by key stakeholders.
- To review the feasibility of wide-scale reporting by local and national NGOs on their international humanitarian funding in consultation with data reporting systems (FTS, IATI and NGO Networks).
Key findings
- Many INGOs struggle with publishing data, and those that do publish often fail to see its value beyond meeting donor requirements.
- There is a largely unrealised potential to use published data for allocation, coordination or decision-making.
- Data publication remains highly manual for most INGOs, preventing scalability and efficiency. However, a few INGOs have successfully automated their reporting through financial and project management systems, demonstrating that streamlined reporting is possible.
- Local and national actors urgently need access to INGO data to engage effectively in development processes, track funding flows, and hold INGOs, governments, and development partners accountable. However, data accessibility remains a major barrier, with reporting platforms often being too complex and available only in dominant global languages.
- Governments need better data to coordinate humanitarian and development efforts, yet data-sharing between INGOs, donors, and national governments remains inconsistent.
Recommendations
- Improve data quality among INGOs: INGOs should publish a broader range of activities, taking advantage of functionality which automates publication in an increasing number of project and financial management systems.
- Integrate IATI and FTS: Take forward the work of IATI and FTS to allow INGOs to “Publish Once, Use Often”, fulfilling their FTS reporting through their IATI publication without additional effort.
- Reward publication: Donors should shift from compliance to incentives, encouraging INGOs to publish substantially all activities, and not only those with direct contractual requirements.
- Support Local and National Actors in data publication: The IATI Secretariat should improve the accessibility and language of IATI tools, particularly by ensuring that IATI Publisher prioritises and meets the needs of local and national actors.
- Make data useful: Support country-level actors with capacity building, and develop specific tools that increase the use of data by donors, INGOs and local and national actors to strengthen allocation, effectiveness and accountability.
- Sustain engagement and build a community: Improve the accessibility of IATI community platforms and engage more proactively with regional and national NGO umbrella bodies.
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