Resource library · free toolkits, templates and guides
The practical library for people who build nonprofits
211 really practical toolkits, templates and guides for nonprofit and NGO leaders, and the consultants and funders who support them. A mix of the classics and newer methods.
Suggestions are welcome211 resources · 15 topics · 137 publishers · 197 free to use
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14 resources found
- Search: humanitarian ai
- 11.1C144
Good Practice Review 8: Humanitarian Security Risk Management
The 3rd edition of a widely used reference on security risk management for humanitarian organisations. Practitioner experts revised it over 3 years. Its 7 chapters cover foundations, ecosystems, organisational and operational elements, people, technology, and specific threats. The 2025 edition adds a person-centred approach, the security burden on national and local actors, partnership security, access and deconfliction, and digital risks such as disinformation and surveillance. Security managers use it to design policies and plans.
CurrentKey manual or guideFree - 12.3C159
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics for Nonprofits: Toolkit
A workshop kit that helps nonprofits design, deploy and use AI responsibly. This first part focuses on the principle of fairness. It contains a facilitator guide, a master slide deck, case studies, key AI and machine learning terms, AI ethics concepts and an example Miro board. Participants learn AI ethics basics, then apply fairness to humanitarian and international development use cases.
CurrentTool or templateFree - 11.1C145
Security to go: a risk management toolkit for humanitarian aid agencies
A toolkit for staff who are not security specialists and need to set up basic safety and security systems in a new context or a sudden emergency. Modules are grouped into planning and preparedness, response, and support services. Topics include actor mapping, risk assessment, digital security, security plans, facility security, communications, travel safety, medical evacuation and private security providers. It contains a risk rating matrix, a security plan template, sample SOPs, checklists and a glossary.
CurrentTool or templateFree - 6.3C079
Managing Stress in Humanitarian Workers
Guidelines that help humanitarian organisations build policies and systems for staff care. They set out key principles and standards for staff psychosocial wellbeing across the deployment cycle, and apply to both national and international staff. HR teams and managers use them to review their staff care system and plan improvements. Available in 5 languages.
Start hereClassicKey manual or guideFree - 5.1C061
Core Humanitarian Competency Framework
The sector competency framework for humanitarian staff, published by CHS Alliance. The package includes a printable framework, a full guide for HR staff and managers on adopting a competency-based approach, a shortened guide, guidance on combining it with other frameworks, 4 PowerPoint training modules with handouts, and a short animated video. Organisations use it for job descriptions, recruitment, performance appraisal and staff development.
ClassicTool or templateFree - 8.2C106
Financial Management for Humanitarian and Development Professionals Guide
A free guide to the basics of financial management for projects in development, humanitarian and conservation work. It is written for staff who are not finance specialists, such as project managers and programme leads. It links to an optional certification exam in English and Spanish. The guide is released under a Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0 licence, so teams can adapt and reuse it for internal training.
Start hereClassicKey manual or guideFree - 10.2C137
Localisation Performance Measurement Framework (LPMF)
A framework from NEAR, a network of local and national civil society organisations, for measuring progress on localisation in humanitarian and development work. Developed between 2017 and 2019, it turns broad commitments, mainly those of the Grand Bargain, into clear areas of change with indicators. Local NGOs, international partners and donors use it to check whether funding, partnerships and decision-making are shifting toward local actors.
CurrentTool or templateFree - 13.4C180
Time to Decolonise Aid: Insights and lessons from a global consultation
A report on how structural racism keeps power in the Global North across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding work. It presents findings from a 3-day online consultation in November 2020 with 158 activists, practitioners, academics, journalists and decision-makers, who left over 350 comments. It sets out recommendations for donors, INGOs and others. The report is available in 15 languages.
CurrentResearch and evidenceFree - 6.3C081
Mental Health & Wellbeing
A themed resource page from GISF that treats staff wellbeing as part of an organisation's duty of care. It collects guides, toolkits, papers, articles and tip sheets on stress, burnout, resilience, traumatic stress, mindfulness, psychological first aid and mental health and psychosocial support for aid workers. Security and HR staff in humanitarian and development NGOs use it to find guidance and tools.
CurrentKey online resourceFree - 11.2C148
Misconduct Disclosure Scheme
An inter-agency scheme that lets aid employers share information on past substantiated cases of sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment when they check job candidates. It covers people with completed or ongoing disciplinary processes, beyond police records. Launched in 2019, it had more than 260 member organisations by March 2024, from INGOs and national NGOs to UN agencies. Between 2019 and 2023, over 137,000 checks led to 385 applications being rejected.
CurrentKey online resourceFree - 2.4C027
Project DPro Guide
An introductory guide to managing projects in the development and humanitarian sector, also known as PMD Pro. It is written for new project managers, development professionals, students and consultants, and covers the project cycle from start to close. It is free to download in 15 languages. PM4NGOs also runs exams and certificates based on the guide, so teams use it both for daily project work and for professional certification.
Start hereCurrentKey manual or guideFree - 11.2C151
Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH)
A free online hub that helps humanitarian and development organisations, and smaller civil society organisations in particular, strengthen safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. It lists over 1,300 resources, including tools, guidance, training material and how-to notes, plus 140 consultants. National hubs serve 12 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. Content is in 18 languages and follows the CAPSEAH framework.
Start hereCurrentKey online resourceFree - 7.1C083
Guide to the MEAL DPro
A sector guide to monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) for development and humanitarian project staff. It explains each of the 4 parts: monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning. The guide is free under a Creative Commons licence and comes in 7 languages, with a short Quick Guide in English. It underpins the MEAL DPro certification exam, offered in 5 languages, which staff take to show competence.
CurrentKey manual or guideFree - 14.2C189
Social Business Model Canvas
A method page from Elrha's Humanitarian Innovation Guide for innovation teams in humanitarian and development work. It explains the Social Business Model Canvas, Tandemic's version of the Business Model Canvas. The social version separates funders from users, splits the value created for each and adds a box for impact measures. A team session takes 2 to 3 hours, and the page advises reviewing the canvas over time.
CurrentTool or templateFree
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