Harmonizing Donor Reporting

The World Humanitarian Summit set ambitious targets to maximize existing resources in critical, emergency situations, including harmonizing and streamlining donor reporting. Donors and aid organizations committed to significant, but achievable harmonization measures by the end of 2018, including reducing volume, developing a common report structure and increasing the efficiency of reporting. To support the implementation of those commitments, this study analyzed existing processes to identify factors leading to reporting inefficiency and opportunities for harmonization. 

GPPi’s analysis of 19 donors’ reporting templates revealed such strong similarities that a common reporting structure would require few compromises, but would significantly reduce the complexity of the reporting system. However, developing a common report structure is only a partial solution. Streamlining and harmonizing supporting documentation requirements, limiting informal reporting requests, decreasing the frequency of reporting, and reducing or better supporting information demands associated with coordination will also be necessary to improve the way aid is managed and held accountable. In addition, there are immediate steps that donors might take unilaterally, including harmonizing and streamlining their own reporting processes throughout the reporting cycle, clarifying and streamlining supporting requirements, and identifying sources of informal reporting.

The full study is available for download.