The FCDO Humanitarian Emergency and Longer-term Planning Sudan program puts £30 million behind a re-imagined approach to crisis response in Sudan, one that places locally-led organizations at the front line of action rather than treating them as downstream implementers.
About the HELP-S Program
Published on 11 May 2026 and administered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), HELP-S runs for 2.5 years from 2026 to 2029 and draws on lessons from both current and past crises in Sudan. The underlying premise is that communities are already the first responders in the absence of consistent international access, and that building on that reality requires genuine, demand-led partnership rather than top-down delivery models.
Funding Size
- Total program value: £30,000,000
- Program duration: 2.5 years (2026 to 2029)
- Award type: accountable grant arrangement
- No stated minimum or maximum per award; funding scope determined by proposal
Who Can Apply
- International non-governmental organizations
- Sudanese national and local civil society organizations
- United Nations agencies
- Not-for-profit academic institutions and research bodies
- Mixed consortia, provided any for-profit organizations participate only as downstream partners
Geographic Eligibility
- Sudan only
- Activities must be targeted at communities in the more stable parts of conflict-affected areas of Sudan
Sector or Thematic Focus
- Locally-led humanitarian response and community resilience
- Girls and women’s protection and empowerment
- Health services in conflict-affected areas
- Livelihoods and economic recovery
- Response to humanitarian emergencies and displacement
- Strengthening the first line of response through community and civil society capacity
Application Process
This is an expression of interest stage, not a full proposal process. Interested organizations submit a five-page expression of interest using the FCDO-provided template, accompanied by a high-level budget using the budget estimate pro forma. Both templates are available for download on the official GOV.UK page. Completed submissions must be emailed to Daniel.diriba@fcdo.gov.uk by the deadline. FCDO offered two written query windows ahead of the deadline to allow applicants to seek clarification before submitting.
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Required Materials
- Five-page expression of interest completed using the HELP-S EOI template
- High-level budget completed using the HELP-S budget estimate pro forma
- Both documents submitted in a single email to Daniel.diriba@fcdo.gov.uk
Key Dates
- Written query deadline 1: 12 May 2026, with responses by 14 May
- Written query deadline 2: 19 May 2026, with responses by 21 May
- Expression of interest deadline: 27 May 2026
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Selection Notes
- The program prioritizes a demand-led model where affected populations drive prioritization of activities
- Proposals that demonstrate genuine locally-led partnership rather than token engagement with Sudanese organizations will carry significant weight