Anticipatory Action Toolkit
Anticipatory Action Toolkit
What is Anticipatory Action?
Anticipatory action refers to “actions taken to reduce the humanitarian impacts of a forecast hazard before it occurs or before its most acute impacts are felt; the decision to take action is based on a forecast or collective risk analysis of when, where and how an event will unfold.
Explore the Toolkit
Choose your starting point based on where you are in the process.
Implementing anticipatory action programming requires strong commitment and engagement from the National Society—ranging from leadership to technical teams. It is a collaborative process that involves coordination with key stakeholders, including national disaster management agencies and forecast/data-providing institutions.
While efforts are underway to improve anticipatory action in the context of multiple and overlapping risks, most existing plans remain hazard-specific. To prioritize hazards for anticipatory action, the National Society conducts a thorough analysis of past and projected hazards that have had the greatest humanitarian impact. This process also considers the National Society’s mandate, disaster risk management laws, community expectations, and the availability of reliable forecasts—either nationally or through complementary regional and global forecasting tools.
Triggers are key to anticipatory action, as they define the specific thresholds—such as forecast levels or risk indicators and respective impacts—that prompt anticipatory actions. By linking data to pre-agreed actions, they reduce uncertainty and ensure timely, efficient anticipatory action.
Because anticipatory action takes place before the impacts of hazards are felt, unlike post-disaster response where needs such as shelter or food are already known, its primary objective is to reduce or prevent potential negative impacts. To be effective, anticipatory actions must be coordinated and agreed upon with relevant authorities, aligned with the National Society’s mandate, and designed to be appropriate and safe for at-risk communities—ensuring no harm is caused.
Anticipatory actions are most effective when guided by a pre-agreed anticipatory action plan, commonly referred to as an Early Action Protocol (EAP). These protocols are essential because they clearly outline what actions will be taken, by whom, and with what resources—before a hazard occurs. Where feasible, the RCRC network advocates for government anticipatory action frameworks, with a clear role of the National Society.
Anticipatory action finance enables National Societies to act before disasters strike and or before the peak of the impacts such as in drought, reducing humanitarian impacts and response costs. Within anticipatory action finance, the “Build” funding supports strengthening of National Societies’ capacities to deliver anticipatory action, strengthening and formalizing collaborations, training of staff and volunteers, and development of Early Action Protocols (EAPs), while “Fuel” funding ensures that there is available funding to be used upon the warning when the hazard has not materialised yet.
Contact Us
Send a message to the Anticipatory Action Toolkit Team.