6. Information management at CARE International level
Checklist
- Ensure that information needs of the CARE International federation are met.
- Work with CEG to make the flow of information easier.
When a large emergency hits, CARE Members need clear and timely information from the CO to provide support, including donor funding and public fundraising.
The nature and range of CARE International stakeholders can be confusing. Please read Protocol A1 Mandates, roles and responsibilities, for a description of key stakeholders and their roles in an emergency.
The information requirements of CARE International stakeholders can at times seem overwhelming at the CO level. However, it is extremely important to be able to respond effectively to these information needs so that the federation can support the response through funds mobilisation, human resources, advocacy and other support.
CARE Emergency Group makes the flow of information easier by providing a forwarding service to key stakeholders. Information for broad distribution such as alerts and sitreps should be sent to the CI Emergency Information Coordinator through
ci-emergencymonitors@careinternational.org who will then redistribute it across CARE to key groups. In large emergencies, CEG establishes a crisis group email list, which provides a single email address that covers all stakeholders involved in the emergency response.
The key stakeholder groups requiring emergency information are:
Lead Member
- Ensure key line managers, emergency unit and lead member staff receive critical information.
- Refer to the Lead Member for contact details.
CEG (CARE Emergency Group)
- Needs comprehensive information for coordination and to inform CI Members, National Directors and the CI Board.
- ceg@careinternational.org.
Emergency response working group (ERWG)
- Comprises representatives from all CARE Members’ emergency units responsible for programme and resource mobilisation.
- erwg@careinternational.org.
Communications working group (COMWG)
- Comprises representatives from all CARE Members’ communications departments, and supports media, advocacy and fundraising efforts.
- comwg@careinternational.org.
| Type of information | Who needs it and why | Communication tool |
| Impact of disaster and humanitarian situation
Key decisions about CARE’s response |
All key stakeholders (refer to section 6.1)
To enable all parts of CARE to activate their emergency response roles in support of the CO’s response, in particular mobilisation of resources including funding and people |
Emergency alerts (Protocol B3)
Emergency situation reports (sitreps) (Protocol C8) Assessment reports (Chapter 4) |
| Assessment of CO capacity | CCG and Lead Member
To help ensure CCG and LM decision-making, and support for the CO is appropriate to the CO capacity |
Capacity assessment questionnaire
(Protocol C3) |
| CARE’s response strategy and fundraising targets | All key stakeholders (refer to section 4.1), especially programme/emergency units and fundraisers
To enable CARE International Members to raise funds (both institutional and other) that are in line with the CO’s programming strategy |
Initial appeal and response strategy document
(Chapters 5, 8, 10) |
| Safety and security situation | CCG, LM and CI Safety and Security Unit
To ensure appropriate oversight at a CI level of the safety and security of the response, inform highest level decision-making and all CI SSUs to provide advice to CO as needed |
Sitreps
Security management plan (Chapter 14) |
| Specific details of actual relief delivered by CARE | All key stakeholders (refer to section 6.1), especially programme/emergency units, media and fundraisers
To allow CARE to communicate to international donors, the media and the public about what CARE is doing and how relief is reaching beneficiaries |
Sitreps
(Protocol C8) |
| Dollar handles, photographs and human interest stories | Media and fundraisers
To help fundraising by being able to explain to the public and potential donors what help is needed through dollar handles, pictures and stories |
Media strategy
Media materials Sitreps (Chapter 13 and section 8 of this chapter) |
| Project concepts and proposals
|
Programme/Emergency units in all CARE members and Fundraisers
Required to secure funding from donors, including institutional donors and foundations |
Response strategy
Concepts and proposals Proposal Pipeline Matrix (Chapters 5, 8, 10) |
| Approved talking points and key messages | Media units, CI spokespersons and advocacy focal points
To enable CARE International to respond to and generate media for both fundraising and advocacy purposes, to speak publicly with a consistent message, and to develop international advocacy strategies |
Media strategy
Advocacy strategy Sitreps (Chapters 13, 28) |
| Staffing needs, visa requirements
and working conditions |
Human resources units
To facilitate the rapid mobilisation of emergency personnel to support the response |
Staffing matrix
Sitreps Personnel requisition form (Chapter 21) |
| Coordination issues and response of other agencies | CEG and CI member emergency units
To help inform members when participating in international coordination meetings and for international level advocacy on any coordination levels |
Sitreps
(Protocol C11 and Chapter 40.5 Coordination) |
| Key policy issues emerging | CCG and LM, media units, advocacy focal points
To ensure the CCG can manage any emerging issues and potential problems, media units can pre-empt any new media issues, and advocacy units can develop strategies to address key issues if required |
Sitreps
(Protocol C8 and Chapter 40) |
The CO should also expect to receive critical information from CI Members to support the response. The CO should specifically request this information through CEG/ ERWG if it is not forthcoming. This includes:
- Potential funding possibilities from the CARE Member’s primary institutional donors including likely amount of funding and eligible programmes (key sectors, etc.), proposal and funding time frames, and donor contract information in the field (refer also to Chapters 7, 8 and 10), including signed Individual Project Implementing Agreement (IPIA) and related fund transfer;
- Staffing information, including potential candidates for positions, availability and arrival information for staff being deployed (refer to Chapter 21);
- Interviews conducted with international media;
- Advocacy and other briefing requests.
The IMO with the support of CEG can help to receive and compile this information, and ensure that the relevant staff in the CO (for example, proposal writer, and human resources manager) receives it.
The CI Members should ensure they streamline information management requests, by:
- Ensuring they nominate a focal point in the CARE Member to help distribute information internally;
- Checking sitreps and other available reports for information before sending additional requests to CEG or the CO;
- Directing requests to CEG or the CO IMO;
- Coordinating requests internally so that the CO does not receive multiple requests.
See also Chapter 2 CARE International Member operational support guidelines.