The Global Humanitarian Overview 2025: Prioritizing Impact in a Shrinking Funding Space

This week, the Global Humanitarian Overview 2025 was launched. At the H2H Network, we are reflecting on the sobering projections: 305 million people will need humanitarian assistance in the coming year. How can we prioritize impact in a shrinking funding space?

Affected populations’ reality, vulnerability driven by protracted conflicts, climate-induced disasters, and persistent funding shortfalls, forces the humanitarian sector to confront tough questions about prioritization, coordination, and inclusivity.

At the heart of this challenge is the tension between technical approaches to boundary setting—such as data-driven needs assessments—and the political decisions that ultimately determine where resources flow, and where responsibility lies for responding to the needs of different communities.

How are needs defined and prioritized, and what happens when funding falls short of even the most urgent requirements?

The H2H Network plays a unique role in this complex landscape. Our members provide specialized services—such as data analysis, coordination tools, and capacity-building support—that empower frontline actors and enhance the quality and efficiency of humanitarian responses. These contributions are not peripheral but central to maintaining a resilient and effective humanitarian system.

Local and national organizations are increasingly vital to this effort. Their proximity to affected communities offers unparalleled insights and capacities, yet they often face significant barriers to accessing resources and recognition. Strengthening these actors is not just a moral imperative but a practical necessity for a more inclusive system.

At the same time, systemic funding challenges threaten the agility and innovation that smaller, specialized actors bring to the table. Efficient allocation of resources—including early, flexible, and predictable funding—is critical to minimizing disruptions and avoiding inefficiencies caused by the loss of organizational capacity.

As the humanitarian community prepares for 2025, we must also recognize the broader impacts of unmet funding: halted programmes, deepened vulnerabilities for affected communities, and a loss of trust in our ability to respond. These challenges demand a recommitment to principles of transparency, accountability, and collaboration across all levels of the humanitarian ecosystem.

The H2H Network reaffirms its commitment supporting the system through efficient, innovative, and localized action that addresses immediate needs while strengthening the foundations for sustainable humanitarian action.