Crisis Modifier
This learning paper summarises the evaluation of the crisis modifier function under the PROSPER Project which is part of the Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Change (BRACC) programme.
The crisis modifier was a flexible mechanism to enable to diversion of funds, or the allocation of earmarked funds, should a crisis develop that threatens the programme's implementation. Crisis modifiers are increasingly common in large resilience programmes, and critical in countries such as Malawi where exposure to shocks is high.
The learning paper has been produced as part of the 2021 evaluation of the BRACC programme. The BRACC crisis modifier was activated twice since the start of the programme, allocating a total of GBP 8.4 million to respond to food insecurity across two of the four PROSPER districts in 2019/2020 and in 2020/2021.
The evaluation found that there is value in having a crisis modifier to increase the reliability and efficiency in funding the response to regular, predictable slow-onset food insecurity crises, and in protecting resilience gains, by helping people from sliding into (further) food insecurity in times of acute crises. However, it is difficult to isolate the impact of the BRACC crisis modifier from other funding, and unclear to what extent it reached people participating in other BRACC programme activities aimed at strengthening resilience.