Responding Under Pressure: Lessons from MOPAN Assessments on Organisational Adaptation to Reform and Funding Constraints

Across the MOPAN assessments reviewed, MOs have adapted to resource constraints and resource pressures through changes at organisational, programme and system levels, although the depth, coherence, and effectiveness of these implemented changes vary considerably. At the organisational level, adaptations have included prioritisation, restructuring and decentralisation, innovation in operational management and business processes, and measures to strengthen risk management and safeguarding, in order to maintain or improve trust with donors.

In the humanitarian space, prioritisation involves making the best use of the resources available to achieve humanitarian outcomes ​(Swithern and Obrecht, 2025, p. 2[23])​. As the gap between funding and needs widens, MOs must make difficult decisions, not only about which populations, locations, and activities to support, but also about which strategic objective and core organisational function to protect. This theme is central to the Humanitarian Reset, particularly its “Define” priority area (actions 1-6), which resulted in a hyper-prioritised Global Humanitarian Overview focused on assisting those facing the most severe, life-threatening needs in a smaller number of the most acute crises ​(IASC, 2025[13])​. MOPAN evidence shows that prioritisation may be unavoidable under resource constraints and, if implemented effectively, can help an MO focus on its mandate, by allowing for better alignment of organisational capabilities and programming with an MO’s strategic priorities. Clear communication, both internally across organisational levels and externally with donors, partners, and beneficiaries, is essential to ensure that priorities are understood and applied consistently.

For example, following the extraordinary surge in contributions received by WFP in 2022, funding levels rapidly reverted to pre-pandemic levels. WFP responded by reducing operating budgets of headquarters and regional bureaux by 25%, thus limiting the technical, strategic, and operational support that these structures could provide to country offices (MOPAN, WFP Technical Annex, 2024, p.11). Despite tighter resources, WFP continued to pursue both its “saving lives” and “changing lives” objectives. This preserved its broader strategic ambition, including resilience-building, but required scarce resources to be split between immediate assistance and longer-term objectives (MOPAN, WFP Assessment Report, 2024, p.45). Country offices had to manage this tension while reducing programme budgets and making difficult choices about activities, caseloads, and the size of food rations. Although decentralised decision-making allowed adaptation to local contexts, the MOPAN assessment found limited organisation-wide guidance on priorities and trade-offs. Country offices particularly lacked clearer advice on how to allocate resources between “saving lives” and “changing lives” (MOPAN, WFP Technical Annex, 2024, p. 45 and 119).  MOPAN evidence suggests that WFP had not communicated its priorities clearly enough, particularly how reductions in rations in some humanitarian settings were reconciled with the continued funding of activities in non-humanitarian countries (MOPAN, WFP Technical Annex, 2024, p.67).

In the 2022-23 period, the ICRC underwent a significant contraction due to a severe financial shortfall, driven by rising inflation, unmet donor pledges, and inadequate cash-flow risk management. As the organisation was forced to “do less with less”, ICRC’s leadership decided to deprioritise resilience programming in protracted crises to refocus instead on its core humanitarian mandate and on protection activities in conflict situations (MOPAN, ICRC Assessment Report 2026, p. 35, 40).  ICRC’s leadership opted to scale back programmes in countries such as South Sudan, where the acuteness of the crisis and the intensity of the conflict had decreased since the beginning of ICRC’s operations, and concentrate its presence and resources in contexts where it was the only actor able to access certain populations affected by violence and conflict, such as Haiti ​((n.a.), 2025[24])​. This strategic decision also informed the subsequent restructuring process (see section 3.2). 

Across these two cases, prioritisation more closely resembled adaptation by design where leadership explicitly identified the mandate and organisational capabilities to protect and communicated the resulting trade-offs. It became more attritional where country offices had to absorb reductions without sufficiently clear organisation-wide guidance. 

Bringing decision-making closer to crisis-affected populations is central to the Humanitarian Reset’s “Devolve” priority. Organisational restructuring, decentralisation, and workforce reduction are also closely linked to the prioritisation choices illustrated above, as MOs seek to align structures and staffing with strategic objectives and bring them into line with the available financial resources. 

Organisational restructuring is a common response when MOs seek to improve effectiveness, reduce duplication or manage costs ​(MOPAN, 2025[25])​. MOPAN evidence shows that such reforms can strengthen coherence and clarify responsibilities within an organisation, but their benefits depend on the quality of their design, sequencing, and the adequate resourcing of their implementation.

WFP’s 2023-24 restructuring illustrates both the opportunities and challenges involved. Triggered also by severe operating budget reductions, the exercise streamlined HQ functions, reduced the number of divisions and redefined the role of regional bureaux. MOPAN found it offered a credible route to reducing duplication and siloed working, while preserving WFP’s extended geographical reach and ability to scale up. However, its rapid implementation created anxiety among staff, and it wasn’t clear that the intended gains would be sustained (MOPAN, WFP Assessment Report, 2024, p.13). A later phase of WFP’s organisational transformation was examined by the External Auditor in 2026, who recommended to further clarify the responsibilities and accountability of regional directors ​(WFP Executive Board, 2026, p. 13[26])​. 

Beyond cost-containment measures, organisational restructuring can also be driven by efforts to strengthen alignment with strategic priorities. IOM’s headquarters restructuring was clearly linked to the goal of ensuring greater coherence with its Strategic Vision 2019-23: the creation of Deputy Director General positions, ten central departments, and a new function for strategic planning and organisational performance helped refocus the organisation on its role as a leading operational and policy actor in addressing vulnerability and crisis, adapting to changing mobility patterns, and strengthening migration governance, as outlined in IOM’s Strategic Vision (MOPAN, IOM Assessment Report, 2023, p.36).  OCHA’s 2018 New Operating Model similarly improved alignment between structure and function by reorganising the MO around functional departments that mirror its objectives and introducing mechanisms to better connect headquarters, regional and country offices. These reforms were evaluated as being broadly conducive to the organisation’s goal of working ‘as one’ (MOPAN, OCHA Assessment Report, 2021, p.20, 25, 39, 72). 

The benefits of organisational restructuring are limited when reforms are only partially implemented or are not matched by sufficient resources and capacity. UN-Habitat’s intended restructuring remained only partly implemented, as insufficient core resources left critical functions covered through acting or multiple roles (MOPAN UN Habitat Technical Annex, 2024, p. 14). FAO also improved coherence through restructuring at headquarters and regional levels, but significant delays in extending reforms to country offices created capacity gaps and delivery risks (MOPAN, FAO Assessment Report, 2024, p.47).

Decentralisation is another measure used by MOs to improve organisational effectiveness while reducing costs. By moving authority closer to operations, it can improve responsiveness to country priorities and allow programmes to adapt more rapidly to local conditions. MOPAN evidence shows that these benefits only materialise when roles and responsibilities are allocated clearly across headquarters, regional, and country offices, and when this devolution of authority is accompanied by adequate resourcing​ (MOPAN, 2025, p. 25[25])​.

MOPAN found that WFP had delegated some strategic and operational authority to regional and country directors, enabling decisions to reflect the needs of affected populations (MOPAN, WFP Assessment Report, 2024, p.38). OCHA’s experience was more mixed: delegation in procurement and budget execution improved field-level speed and agility, but the assessment found limited evidence of broader decentralisation in budget functions and expenditure. In addition, major cuts to field staff have left OCHA less decentralised than it the previous assessment round (see below) (MOPAN, OCHA Assessment Report, 2021, p.25). 

Workforce downsizing may accompany, and even precede, restructuring and prioritisation, particularly if the MO is facing significant resource constraints. Indeed, staff reductions are often one of the first readily available cost saving measures following budget cuts ​(MOPAN, 2025, p. 23[27])​. MOPAN evidence shows that, if not adequately planned, staff reductions can also reverse earlier decentralisation gains. While often inevitable under financial pressure, the process of reducing an MO’s workforce, if not properly managed, can pose significant risks to institutional memory, succession planning, staff wellbeing, and technical capacity ​(MOPAN, 2025[25])​. 

OCHA’s substantial field-staff cuts in 2017 left the organisation less decentralised than in the previous assessment period, illustrating how workforce reductions can alter the balance of capacity between headquarters and operations (MOPAN, OCHA Assessment Report, 2021, p.25).  As a result of the liquidity constraints arising from delays of Member States in providing their assessed contributions, OHCHR froze recruitment and had several positions vacant at the time of the assessment. This constrained the Office’s ability to implement Human Rights Council mandates, particularly by limiting its capacity to carry out human rights monitoring missions, reducing in-country staff levels, and decreasing the number of Human Rights Advisers from 43 to 26 (MOPAN, OHCHR Assessment Report, 2026, p.22, 24; MOPAN, OHCHR Technical Annex, 2026, p. 86). 

Following its 2022 financial crisis and in line with the decision to de-prioritise resilience programming (see section 3.1), the ICRC proceeded with the closure of 26 field structures in regional delegations and non-core conflict settings, including delegations in Mauritania, Malaysia, and Greece, and a substantive reduction of operations in field offices including Dakar, Nairobi, Amman, Bangkok and Panama City. However, by the end of 2023 the ICRC had also implemented a 14% workforce reduction (approximately 1800 positions), which the assessment found could pose risks to the retention of organisational knowledge and place additional pressure on remaining staff (MOPAN, ICRC Assessment Report, 2026, p.30).

Restructuring and downsizing represented adaptation by design where they reduced duplication, clarified accountabilities, and aligned structures with strategic priorities. They became more attritional where immediate savings were achieved through insufficiently planned staff or office reductions that weakened institutional memory, technical expertise or field presence.

Innovation in business processes and operational management has improved procurement, oversight, operational speed, and cost-efficiency. Through the digitalisation of business processes, strengthened corporate management systems and the shift to cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and new approaches to procurement, logistics, and supply chains, MOs have increased operational agility, improved data quality and oversight, reduced delays and costs, and increased their flexibility in responding to changing needs ​(MOPAN, 2025, p. 16[25])​. However, MOPAN evidence also suggests that MOs’ ability to translate these innovations into sustainable, organisation-wide improvements is often constrained by resource limitations or strict regulations, restricting the extent to which their benefits can be distributed across the crisis contexts in which MOs operate.

UNHCR’s Business Transformation Programme represents a wide-ranging effort to simplify and digitalise its operations. Its Cloud ERP system, launched in 2023, introduced new processes covering supply chains, logistics, inventory, finance, cash and treasury management, alongside reforms in results-based management, human resources, partnerships and data. MOPAN found that the shift towards cloud-based platforms had the potential to streamline core business processes, although the full benefits would depend on completing the roll-out and ensuring that staff are sufficiently trained to use the new systems effectively (MOPAN, UNHCR Assessment Report, 2024, p.43). Similarly, UNDP’s transition to the cloud-based Quantum ERP system has strengthened real-time financial visibility, management oversight, and performance monitoring, while expanding the scope for location-independent service delivery (MOPAN, UNDP Assessment Report, 2026, p.32).

IOM also invested in strengthening corporate systems that had previously been fragmented and poorly integrated. Under its 2022–25 ICT Strategy, IOM developed project and financial management platforms, including PRISM and PRIMA, and began moving towards an integrated resource planning system. It also adopted a Supply Chain Management Strategy for 2022–26, created a central supply-chain division and established pre-positioned stocks. However, MOPAN noted that several processes remained managed at country-office level through home-grown applications, limiting co-ordination and potentially creating risks to data security and system integrity (MOPAN, IOM Assessment Report, 2023, p.38).

WFP has combined stronger oversight in high-risk operations with technologies, such as video surveillance, the Last Mile Application, and Track and Trace. The Last Mile Application, in particular, enables real-time recording of waybill receipts and has substantially reduced delivery delays. Yet adoption has remained uneven because of funding constraints and competing priorities ​(MOPAN, 2025, p. 16[25])​

Operational innovation was closer to adaptation by design where it produced demonstrable efficiency gains, through reductions in delays, transaction costs or fragmentation and where MOs financed the roll-out, maintenance and staff capacity required for organisation-wide use.

As ODA budgets tighten, donors demand greater transparency on how public resources are used, while current reform agendas place increasing emphasis on maintaining the integrity of humanitarian assistance and preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEA/SH) (particularly in the Defend pillar of the Humanitarian Reset). MOs also face fiduciary risks related to the diversion, fraud, and misuse of humanitarian resources. Both challenges require systematic risk management to prevent harm, protect the integrity of assistance, and sustain the trust of donors, partners, and affected populations.

MOPAN evidence shows that MOs have strengthened their ability to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) by introducing dedicated survivor-centred policies, accessible reporting mechanisms, credible investigations, and specialist staff. MOPAN’s From Words to Deeds study identifies the presence of dedicated resources for PSEAH, particularly at field level, as a key condition for translating corporate commitments into practice ​(MOPAN, 2023[7])​. Such capacity may, however, become increasingly difficult to sustain amid funding cuts and earmarking. While rigorous, controls also need to remain proportionate, so that they do not delay assistance or transfer excessive administrative burdens and risks to partners. 

IOM established a dedicated PSEAH Unit, supported by a headquarters task force and focal points at regional and country levels, and introduced an operational toolkit and mandatory staff training. MOPAN nevertheless found that implementation remained at an early stage and under-resourced, with particular risks arising from reliance on short-term contractors in high-risk contexts (MOPAN, IOM Assessment Report, 2023, p.50). WHO consolidated its approach through a new policy for preventing and addressing sexual misconduct, a 2023–25 strategy and an accompanying accountability framework. These reforms aimed to treat sexual misconduct as an enterprise-wide risk and clarify the responsibilities of personnel, managers, and the wider organisation (MOPAN, WHO Technical Annex, 2024, p.47). At the time of the assessment, the ICRC was endowed with strong PSEAH policy frameworks at headquarters level, but community-accessible reporting and complaint mechanisms on SEAH remained inconsistent at field level (MOPAN, ICRC Main Report, 2026). 

MOPAN evidence also illustrates how IFIs have made significant progress since their first joint commitment to PSEAH in 2018, recognising both reputational risks and the expectations of shareholders. While IFIs, such as the ADB, AfDB, EBRD, and the World Bank have made progress internally in updating strategic frameworks in strengthening reporting, ethics, and misconduct management systems, implementation often remains uneven and fragmented​ (MOPAN, 2026[6])​. Externally IFI accountability is operationalised through financing agreements that place primary responsibility for managing SEAH-related risks on borrowers, while IFIs are expected to support compliance through supervision and technical assistance. This model is particularly difficult to implement in fragile and conflict-affected countries, where governments often lack sufficient capacity and resources ​(MOPAN, 2026, p. 24[6])​. 

MOPAN assessments also show that, in order to respond to increased pressures to manage fiduciary and reputational risks arising from fraud, corruption and aid diversion, MOs have strengthened partner vetting, data protection, identity and supply-chain controls, and support to high-risk offices. Their effectiveness depends not simply on adopting policies following crises or major incidents, but on sustained organisational capacity, credible accountability mechanisms, and the ability to consistently translate corporate policy and standards into operational practice at the field level. 

WFP strengthened its controls following major aid-diversion incidents in Ethiopia, Yemen, and Somalia, which exposed weaknesses in oversight, accountability and communication with donors. Its Global Assurance Framework introduced end-to-end controls across high-risk operations, including stronger identity management, clearer accountabilities, enhanced country-office support and increased investment in compliance and anti-fraud training (MOPAN, WFP Assessment Report, 2024, p.43). However, the MOPAN assessment also found that the measures introduced under the Global Assurance Framework were expected to increase implementation costs for most country offices, as much of the additional expenditure would have to be covered by individual country budgets, raising concerns about their long-term sustainability (MOPAN, WFP Technical Annex, 2024, p.76).

In the aftermath of a major data breach in 2022, the ICRC overhauled its IT infrastructure, strengthened its data protection policy framework, created the Chief Information Officer role, and increased mandatory training for staff on data management and data protection (MOPAN, ICRC Technical Annex, 2026, p.96-97). 

Risk-management and safeguarding adaptations are more effective when backed by sustained capacity and proportionate controls; when under-resourced or overly burdensome, they can instead constrain delivery and shift risks to country offices and partners, thus leaning closer to adaptation by attrition.