Risk Management for Humanitarian & Development Projects

Identify, assess, and manage risks to protect humanitarian operations and beneficiaries. Practical frameworks for field work. Online certificate course.

Free for Academy members | Go to Academy

Self-Study Certificate Course
Start: Immediate Access
Time: Typically 15-20 hours to complete

Steering Projects through Uncertainty

In humanitarian and development work, unmanaged risks don't just threaten project success—they can devastate the communities you serve. This can lead to:

  • Implementation delays that leave communities waiting
  • Failure to deliver promised results to communities
  • Budget crises that force you to scale back services
  • Reduced impact due to constant crisis management
  • Potential failure or even project abandonment

This practical training equips you with systematic approaches to identify, assess, and manage risks before they derail your work. Learn practical frameworks used by leading humanitarian organizations, develop risk management plans tailored to your context, and benefit from real-world scenarios. Through effective risk management, you can:

  • Make informed decisions based on early warning indicators, adapting to emerging crises
  • Protect staff and beneficiaries from preventable harm
  • Secure continued donor support through transparent risk communication
  • Build more resilient programs that survive disruptions

How You'll Learn

This self-paced course combines video lessons, practical exercises, and assessments:

  • Video presentations with downloadable transcripts and handouts
  • Practical templates and tasks for immediate application
  • Reflection exercises to adapt concepts to your context
  • End-of-module knowledge checks
  • Certificate upon completion

Course developed and presented by Neil Kendrick, founder of ELD Impact, with 25+ years of experience training humanitarian professionals across 20+ countries

Program Overview

Click any module to see content

+
Welcome to the Course
2 lessons
  • Getting Started
  • Pre-Course Self-Assessment: Rate Your Current Skills
+
Risk Identification & Assessment
5 lessons
  • Assessing Likelihood
  • Assessing Impact
  • Application to Projects
  • Progress Assessment
  • Reflection & Application
+
Risk Quantification
5 lessons
  • Monetary Values and Percentage Scales
  • Scoring Systems & Time-based Metrics
  • Beneficiary Metrics & Hybrid Approaches
  • Progress Assessment
  • Reflection & Application
+
Risk Response Planning
5 lessons
  • Avoidance, Mitigation, Transfer & Acceptance
  • Contingency & Fallback Plans
  • Application to Projects
  • Progress Assessment
  • Reflection & Application
+
Risk Monitoring
6 lessons
  • Purpose of Risk Monitoring
  • Components of Risk Monitoring
  • Data Collection
  • Data Analysis & Application to Projects
  • Progress Assessment
  • Reflection & Application
+
Risk Communication
7 lessons
  • Stakeholder Mapping
  • Reporting Structures
  • Transparency
  • Application to Projects
  • Promoting a Culture of Risk Awareness
  • Progress Assessment
  • Reflection & Application
+
Risk Documentation & Iterative Process
7 lessons
  • The Risk Register
  • Assessment Logs
  • Response Plans
  • Maintaining Records & Documenting Changes
  • Revisiting & Updating the Risk Management Plan
  • Progress Assessment
  • Reflection & Application
+
Putting It All Together
5 lessons
  • Review of Key Concepts
  • Final Self-Assessment: Reflect on Your Progress
  • Your Risk Management Action Plan
  • Course Discussion Forum
  • Your Next Steps

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