Funding to local actors: Evidence from the Syrian refugee response in Türkiye

Over 11 years after the start of the Syria crisis, Türkiye is host to 3.7 million Syrian women, men, and children. Local and national actors (LNAs), including the government and civil society, play a central role in meeting the needs of displaced communities, with support from international donors and organisations.

Ensuring LNAs have access to sufficient, quality funding as directly as possible is essential for an effective and locally led response. Donors and international aid organisations have made various commitments to provide funding more directly to those affected by crisis. However, current reporting mechanisms mean there is no way to comprehensively monitor these commitments, to track how much international funding ultimately reaches LNAs or the means by which it is disbursed.

This research, carried out by Development Initiatives and the Refugee Council of Türkiye, sought to fill this evidence gap in the context of the Syrian refugee response in Türkiye by tracking international funding flows to local and national actors. It also investigated issues around the quality of funding and partnerships between international and national actors – central to discussions on the localisation of aid in Türkiye and more broadly.