Syria Humanitarian Fund (SHF) and Syria Cross-Border Humanitarian Fund (SCHF)
The SHF and SCHF are country-based pooled funds (CBPFs) that mobilize and channel resources to humanitarian partners to address the most urgent needs of the millions of people affected by the Syria crisis. During 2024, the SHF and SCHF allocated $102 million, thanks to the generosity of 25 donors who contributed $126 million in funding. Both Funds supported targeted multi-sector and integrated life-saving, life-sustaining and resilience-based assistance to the most vulnerable people living in underserved, socio-economically depressed areas with the highest inter-sector severity of needs.
In 2025, both Funds continue to play a vital role in providing crucial and timely humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people in Syria after the significant change in the Syrian context in December 2024. In 2025, the SHF has allocated:
- $5.1 million, starting in January 2025, as cost extensions to flexibly address the most pressing emergency humanitarian needs of the people in Syria.
- $1 million, through reserve allocation modality, to support the provision of Health and WASH humanitarian assistance, aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality and preventing further spread and fatalities resulting from the AWD/ suspected cholera outbreak.
- $2.5 million for emergency rehabilitation of Rastan Bridge on Homs-Hama M5 Highway to ensure sustained humanitarian access and support economic revitalization.
- $8 million, via reserve allocation, to sustain essential services for severely impacted life-saving activities in Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor following the sudden suspension of foreign assistance.
In 2025, the SCHF has allocated in Aleppo and Idlib:
- $2.4 million as cost extensions to flexibly address the most pressing emergency humanitarian needs of the people in Syria.
- $3.8 million, via reserve allocation, amidst the escalation of hostilities in Menbij, to support life-saving interventions, provide comprehensive assistance to IDP camps and displaced populations through non-food item and cash assistance, rehabilitate the Menbij Bakery and National Hospital, and aiming to conduct protection assessments.
In line with Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s (IASC’s) agreement for Syria to transition to a unified coordination system under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), the transition of the SCHF and SHF is underway. The unified Pooled Fund to support the Syria humanitarian operation in Syria will operate under the leadership of the HC and will be governed with the support of one Advisory Board. The Fund will be managed by OCHA, under the leadership of the OCHA Syria Office, and will continue to maintain two modalities to support partners during the transition period.
In June 2025, the SHF and SCHF launched a joint standard allocation of at least $60 million ($30 million each fund) aiming at addressing the multilayered needs on the ground and gaps identified in Whole of Syria Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) 2025, RNA Aleppo and Idlib Report 2025, the Movement Intention Survey, and the Humanitarian Response Priorities Syrian Arab Republic January–June 2025.
As the SCHF phases out in 2025, the SHF aims to increase funding for national organizations by expanding its pool of eligible partners, continuing to foster partnerships with national and local organizations through ensuring their representation in the SHF Advisory Board and project review committees, and expand the availability of capacity building trainings.