Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge’s publications include research and reports. These publications provide information on important humanitarian and innovation topics, including barriers to scaling, humanitarian access, and in-depth case studies of structural issues within the humanitarian system. The resources on this page can be shared and used freely with citations. Please see each publication for the appropriate reference information.
Featured Resources & Core Publications
Scoping Study: Misinformation, Disinformation and Hate Speech in Conflict
This CHIC-commissioned scoping study examines the increasing complexity of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech (MDH) in humanitarian responses, especially in conflict settings, where technological advancements and AI tools intensify existing challenges. Through a literature review, landscape analysis, and interviews, author Anahi Ayala Iacucci outlines existing frameworks and assesses the fragmented landscape of MDH strategies. The report highlights the need for more comprehensive tools, robust impact evaluations, and collaborative platforms, emphasizing the importance of innovative, accountable, and community-engaged approaches to build resilience and improve the global humanitarian response to MDH in conflict zones.
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge 2024 Annual Report
This year’s report highlights our commitment to empowering locally-led humanitarian solutions that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. From advancing health and sustainable energy solutions to improving access to life-saving information and resources, CHIC’s funding and tailored support have enabled high-impact innovators to scale their work, reaching millions of vulnerable conflict-affected people worldwide.
Through insights from projects at the seed and transition-to-scale levels, we share lessons learned and outline our vision for fostering innovation that’s inclusive, sustainable, and adaptable to evolving humanitarian needs. Explore how our initiatives drive meaningful change, build resilient communities, and inspire global collaboration.
Lessons Learned from Supporting Local Innovation
Learning From Innovations Using Artificial Intelligence
Amongst humanitarians, enthusiasm for AI’s potential contrasts with caution about unknown risks. Navigating these opportunities and risks necessitates ethical, transparent, and context-sensitive implementation.
Creating Hope in Conflict has funded 18 projects that aspired to use AI in their proposals. We commissioned this review to see what could be learned from these projects and the implications for future funding of AI projects in humanitarian contexts. The learning review addresses three questions:
- What are the opportunities and risks of using AI in humanitarian response?
- What types of AI initiatives has CHIC invested in?
- What have CHIC-funded innovators learned about implementing AI initiatives in humanitarian settings?
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge 2023 Annual Report
For the past five years, Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (CHIC) has been committed to finding and supporting life-saving innovations that improve the lives of the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach people impacted by humanitarian crises caused by conflict.
The year has been one of reflection. This report reviews the successes and lessons of the past year and the past five years, celebrating our wins, made possible by the innovators in our community, and shares lessons we’ve learned and key takeaways we’ve gathered through working in the challenging and fulfilling landscape of humanitarian innovation.
In this report, you’ll read about our innovators’ milestones since last year and reflect alongside us about what the past five years look like and what the future holds.
Innovation Adoption Strategy
Many humanitarian innovations find that the key pathway to reaching the people most in need of assistance is through innovation adoption by large humanitarian aid agencies. For most innovations, particularly locally-owned ones, adoption is impeded by numerous barriers, including insufficient funding, complex procurement processes within humanitarian agencies, and an overall reluctance to deviate from the status quo of the humanitarian system.
To continue addressing this challenge, CHIC has developed an innovation adoption strategy. Developed with the assistance of Humanitarian Associates, this strategy is based on a thorough analysis of internal and public literature, consultations with 31 key stakeholders (including input from innovators from conflict-affected settings), and members of the GCC’s Programs Advisory Council and GCC’s Board of Directors.
Outcome Case Study: Hala Systems
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge contracted Triple Line Consulting to deliver a series of outcome and value for money case studies for a sample of funded innovations. This report is a summary of the findings of the outcome and value for money case study developed for Hala Systems.
The objectives of this case study are:
1. To capture outcomes delivered by the CHIC program and validate CHIC’s contributions that led to these outcomes
2. To support CHIC in delivering value for money case studies by providing the evidence base on the achievement of intermediate outcomes and CHIC’s contribution to these.
Outcome Case Stu
dy: Field Ready
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (CHIC) funded Field Ready to establish a local infrastructure model in Syria and demonstrate that an alternative model is possible and scalable. The model would ensure medical products were delivered to hospitals and clinics faster, cheaper, and more efficiently compared to traditional procurement routes, meaning more people would receive timely, appropriate care.
CHIC contracted Triple Line Consulting to deliver a series of outcome and value for money case studies for a sample of funded innovations. The objectives of this case study are:
1. To capture outcomes delivered by the CHIC program and validate CHIC’s contributions that led to these outcomes
2. To support CHIC in delivering value for money case studies by providing the evidence base on the achievement of intermediate outcomes and CHIC’s contribution to these.
Outcome Case Study: Energy Peace Partners
Energy Peace Partners (EPP) was funded by Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (CHIC) to establish and demonstrate an innovative solution – the Peace Renewable Energy Credit or P-REC.
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge contracted Triple Line Consulting to deliver a series of outcome and value for money case studies for a sample of funded innovations, including Energy Peace Partners. The principle objectives of this case study are:
1. To capture outcomes delivered by the CHIC program and validate CHIC’s contributions that led to these outcomes
2. To support CHIC in delivering value for money case studies by providing the evidence base on the achievement of intermediate outcomes and CHIC’s contribution to these.
Creating Hope in Conflict (2018-2022) Independent Evaluation
In the humanitarian innovation funding space, an iterative, nimble, and humble approach is essential for effective and efficient work. Only through reflection and a willingness to engage in transparent and objective accountability processes can gaps be identified, strengths be defined, and strategies be developed to improve, ensuring the highest level of positive impact for communities affected by conflict.
In 2023, CHIC commissioned Triple Line to conduct an independent evaluation with a focus on answering the question: ‘To what extent and how did the CHIC programme, using the Grand Challenge approach and humanitarian innovation, contribute to systemic improvements in the provision of healthcare, information, energy and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), in conflict-driven humanitarian crises?’. The findings have helped us reflect on our progress and determine strategies to ensure continued impact as we move into phase two of our program.
Local Manufacturing in a Conflict Zone: Lessons from the White Helmets’ PPE Project
While the world has become increasingly globalized, humanitarian aid delivery has rapidly transitioned toward localization in the past decade. Actively partnering with and funding local actors has the potential to greatly increase humanitarian systems’ effectiveness. Local actors have greater access to and better understanding of culture and needs, making them invaluable assets in aid delivery. Encouraging local humanitarian interventions can also make aid more equitable by actively investing in capacity building.
In this report, written by The Reach Alliance, they examine how Humanitarian Grand Challenge supported innovator the White Helmets’ local manufacturing project enabled them to better identify needs and respond rapidly to them. By leveraging and building on local trust, the organization was able to deliver a successful humanitarian response. Beyond addressing short-term needs, the project also contributes to sustainable development in a conflict zone by offering employment opportunities and improving local capacity.
Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge | Annual Report
From locally manufacturing personal protective equipment, to growing food using methods that require 90% less water, to countering the harmful spread of health misinformation and disinformation in conflict zones, Humanitarian Grand Challenge supported innovators are creating real impact and positive changes to the way humanitarian assistance is delivered.
This Annual Report details the Humanitarian Grand Challenge’s growing portfolio of humanitarian innovations, showcases our achievements to date and provides humanitarian donors, agencies, and practitioners with valuable lessons and learning points with a view to strengthening the humanitarian system.
Political and Social Barriers to Scaling Humanitarian Innovation
Within the humanitarian innovation landscape, innovators often experience a myriad of barriers or challenges when embarking upon their journey to scale. Although existing literature highlights the challenges and barriers to scale in humanitarian innovation, social and political barriers in the sector – such as gender, racial inequity, and imbalances in power – add another layer of complexity to already defined barriers in innovation, and yet, have received less attention in the literature.
Acknowledging the gap of certain barriers in humanitarian innovation research, Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (HGC) conducted semi-structured interviews with several HGC supported innovators to outline the social and political factors that complicate scaling journeys in conflict-affected contexts. This innovator profile showcases Humanity Data Systems’ innovation, HOPE and HELP, and provides a summary of identified social and political barriers Humanity Data Systems have been facing along their journey to scale.
How Do Great Ideas Scale? Learning From Scaling Successes in Humanitarian Innovation
Scaling innovations in the humanitarian sector is notoriously difficult, and existing research highlights the many barriers and challenges to scaling humanitarian innovations. This study seeks to fill an important gap in the literature by identifying and outlining key lessons from humanitarian innovations that have successfully scaled. The research focuses on five case studies of innovations that have, each in their own way, fostered new ways of working within the humanitarian sector. We explore the drivers of their success, the strategies deployed by innovators, and the lessons learned along the way. In doing so, we offer learning points for donors and innovators seeking to scale innovations in the humanitarian sector to foster a more supportive ecosystem for scaling innovation.
Read the Full ReportCite this Report: Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge. (2021). How do Great Ideas Scale? Learning From Scaling Successes in Humanitarian Innovation. Grand Challenges Canada.
Field Ready | Cost Effectiveness Case Study
Field Ready, a non-profit organization, has pioneered an innovation that incorporates local manufacturing thereby transforming the way that needs are met in humanitarian contexts. Where 60-80% of humanitarian ai is spent on ‘logistical costs’, Field Ready locally manufactures and repairs essential items in the communities where they are most needed, influencing systems change by reducing the costs, time and depletion of resources associated with global supply chains by producing and repairing essential items locally.
Cite this Case Study: Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge. (2021). Field Ready Cost Effectiveness Case Study. Grand Challenges Canada.
Analysis of Barriers Affecting Innovations in Humanitarian Contexts
This report identifies and analyzes barriers and challenges affecting innovations in humanitarian contexts. This includes contextual and political challenges that have historically blocked innovation and service provision within the humanitarian sector.
Cite this report: Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge. (2020). Analysis of Barriers Affecting Innovations in Humanitarian Contexts. Grand Challenges Canada.
Descriptive Portfolio Analysis (Sense-making Portfolio)
This report identifies and analyzes the Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge‘s portfolio of humanitarian innovations, in order to generate insight on the key descriptive characteristics of the portfolio. It serves as a point of reflection on and synthesis of the nature and type of Humanitarian Grand Challenge investments in the space of humanitarian innovation.
Cite this report: Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge. (2020). Descriptive Portfolio Analysis. Grand Challenges Canada.
Grant Award Review
This report, commissioned by The Research people, assesses how well the Humanitarian Grand Challenge awarded innovations address barriers and gaps identified across the four thematic areas (life-saving information, health, energy, and water and sanitation).
Cite this report: Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge. (2020). Grant Award Review. Grand Challenges Canada.
The Story of the Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge Community
This document highlights the incredible achievements of Humanitarian Grand Challenge supported innovators, from building partnerships hat have led to new initiatives, to plugging gaps in one-another’s knowledge, to moving forward with others’ wisdom and support. This document also highlights key insights, lessons learnt and provocations that are key in taking this community of innovators to its next stage of maturity.
Interested in collaborating and contributing to this community? Please contact [email protected] who leads on community support for Humanitarian Grand Challenge supported innovators.
Additional Open Community Resources
From innovation guides, to relevant innovation funding opportunities, and webinar presentations, check out these additional open community resources*.
*These resources are gathered from publicly available sources across the sector. The resources that appear on this non-exhaustive resource list are available elsewhere. They do not necessarily reflect Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge and its funders’ policies or approaches.