There is growing recognition across the humanitarian sector that current due diligence processes are complex, repetitive, and burdensome – often hindering localisation efforts. Many international NGOs (INGOs) and donors have made due diligence reform a priority, piloting new approaches to streamline assessments. These efforts include harmonised tools, mutual recognition or ‘passporting’ of assessments, registration systems, and donor-led pre-registration platforms like the UN’s One Partner Platform.

Beyond harmonisation, there is also momentum to make due diligence less compliance-heavy and more focused on strengthening partner capacity. Some initiatives seek to shift risk distribution along the partnership chain, reducing the disproportionate burden on local NGOs.

While the widespread interest in due diligence reform has led to significant benefits, fragmented efforts risk duplication and inefficiency. Without coordination, lessons from pilots may not be shared, and potential tensions between different approaches may go unaddressed – while passporting, simplification, and risk sharing are all worthy goals, progress in one area may limit progress in others. Additionally, the disconnect between country-level pilots and global-level decision-making presents a barrier to system-wide reform.

This informal Community of Practice (CoP) is hosted by ICVA , with an INGO co-chair currently held by Concern Worldwide / Alliance2015. A Steering Committee, initially comprising ACT Alliance, Save the Children UK, DRC, HQAI, Première Urgence Internationale, Start Network, and the Humanitarian NGO Platform in Ukraine provides strategic guidance.

Together, we aim to streamline due diligence processes, making them more efficient, equitable, and fit for purpose—ultimately strengthening the humanitarian system as a whole.

You can learn more in the Terms of Reference of the Due Diligence CoP .

To support the Alliance 2015 (A2015) impact goal on Equitable Civil Society Partnerships and in response to global commitments on localisation, the Alliance2015 Network launched the Due Diligence Passporting Project.

The DD Passporting Project aims to ease this burden of complex and often duplicative due diligence processes by developing a DD Passporting Procedure, enabling A2015 members to exchange partner assessments. This aim is to reduce burden on partners and country teams, reduce duplication, promote responsible and inclusive collaboration, and allow partners to focus more on delivering impactful programmes.

Due diligence processes are intended to ensure accountability and are an important part of risk management. However, they are often designed for larger INGOs and can be duplicative, complex, and poorly suited to the contexts in which local and national organisations operate. These organisations are frequently required to complete
similar assessments for multiple international actors. This creates a significant administrative burden that diverts time and resources from programme delivery and limits the space for more equitable and collaborative partnerships.

In response to calls from local and national partners to reduce such duplication, the Charter for Change (C4C) Due Diligence Passporting Initiative was developed by seven C4C signatories to address these challenges and foster more equitable partnerships. It aims to reduce duplication and promote mutual accountability by creating a practical
mechanism for sharing due diligence information. This is achieved without compromising the commitment to responsible stewardship of resources or accountability to affected and at-risk communities.

The C4C Due Diligence Passporting Tool is open-source and available for use. INGOs, donors, and other actors committed to localisation can support this shift by adopting the approach and the related tool, aligning their due diligence processes where feasible, and participating in future pilots. Others have started engaging with the tool, but any organisations can request a briefing or express interest in participating by contacting any of the INGOs currently most directly engaged in the C4C Due Diligence Passporting initiative.

The Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) on Quality and Accountability is a globally recognized framework that sets out nine commitments to ensure that organisations support people and communities affected by crisis and vulnerability in ways that respect their rights and dignity and promote their primary role in finding solutions to the crises they face. The CHS Alliance, a global network of humanitarian and development organizations, is dedicated to promoting and implementing the CHS by supporting organizations to become more accountable to affected populations and to manage their people and safeguarding commitments effectively. The CHS Verification Scheme, managed by the CHS Alliance provides organizations with structured processes—including self-assessment, independent verification, and certification—to demonstrate and improve their compliance with the CHS.

Action Against Hunger (ACF) in Ukraine is conducting Due Diligence Assessment (DDA) Passporting.

The DDA Passporting practice allows ACF Ukraine to accept DDAs conducted by other INGOs, UN agencies, or donors, provided certain criteria are met.

To qualify for this simplified process, a local partner must: have completed a full DDA with a recognized INGO, UN agency, or donor within the last two years, and have received or currently be receiving €50,000 or more in funding from that organization.
In such cases, rather than repeating the full assessment, we review the existing documentation, request clarifications where necessary, and collect key policies from the partner for archiving. The process is designed to be efficient and low-burden for the local partner, and in most cases, it can be completed through a short email exchange, without the need for numerous meetings or lengthy procedures.

Though this initiative currently operates at mission level only, we see it as a meaningful step toward greater collaboration and reduced duplication in the sector — and a reminder that change often starts from within.

Six INGOs (Tdh Lausanne, ACF, SIF, PUI, Solidarités and MDM) will contribute to advancing the localization agenda by sharing certain practices, with the aim of reducing the demands placed on local, national, and international organizations (L/N/I), or enabling better support for them when necessary, and overall improving the efficiency of partnerships for both L/N/I organizations and other stakeholders. Specific objectives of the initiative include:

To identify other potential opportunities for collaboration, such as delivering training sessions to L/N/I partners, etc.

To promote mutual recognition of the Parties’ due diligence (DD) and capacity assessment formats.

MatchLocal is a non-profit social impact organisation based in Berlin that supports locally-led organisations in fragile contexts across Sub-Sahara Africa and the Middle East through targeted organisational development and peer learning formats. As part of our localisation approach, we have developed a Self-Assessment Questionnaire that goes beyond basic eligibility or compliance criteria.

The tool enables local NGOs to reflect critically on their own institutional structures, strategies and capacities, supporting them define development priorities from their own perspective. Additionally, we have embedded indicators that capture not only formal capabilities but also explore underlying drivers of long-term engagement, such as motivation, team resilience, and community commitment.

By assessing both technical capacity and deeper organisational intent, the tool helps identify and strengthen actors that are not just fundable but locally rooted and mission-driven. This contributes to more meaningful localisation, addressing risks such as brain drain, short-termism and externally imposed project logic, while supporting the emergence of resilient, self-directed ecosystems within humanitarian assistance.

We are constantly testing and refining the tool in collaboration with a growing network of local organisations in different contexts and regions to ensure that it is context-sensitive, practically useful and trusted by the actors it is designed for.

Launched in August 2021, the Yemen Nexus Initiative aims to promote the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus approach in Yemen. The initiative enhances collaboration across sectors such as food security, health, WASH, and climate change to strengthen peacebuilding and resilience. Phase I focused on building the capacity of local organizations, creating a Nexus Strategy and Action Plan, and conducting service mapping. Through nationwide consultations and training sessions involving NGOs, INGOs, UN agencies, community leaders, and government entities, YNI supports inclusive, conflict-sensitive programming. Future phases will focus on resource mobilization and piloting integrated nexus programs.

The 3P Framework redefines risk management in the third sector by empowering Partners and Patrons (funders) to evaluate their risk positionality and engage in transparent, trust-based risk-sharing discussions. One result of this effort is the reduction in upfront due diligence required by Patrons, thereby reducing the compliance burden on Partners. By establishing a common vocabulary and dynamic alignment process, the 3P Framework enables delivery Partners, Patrons, and the Projects they jointly implement to navigate uncertainty collaboratively and build resilient, trust-based, long-term partnerships. Through continuous adaptation and open dialogue, the 3P Framework fosters a more equitable, effective, and sustainable approach to risk management, ultimately driving systemic, positive change in the third sector.

Due Diligence Services: To solve the vetting challenge, we provide comprehensive background checks and institutional assessments for NGOs and sustainable businesses, in partnership with TechSoup, using their https://step.techsoup.org/ STEP Framework.

We provide comprehensive background checks and institutional assessments for NGOs and sustainable businesses. Our standardized frameworks verify financial stability, legal compliance, and impact measurement without discriminating against local operational models. Revenue comes from donors, impact investors, and intermediaries who pay for assessment services to make confident funding decisions while advancing localization.