Delivering money: Cash transfers mechanisms in emergencies

International aid agencies and governments are increasingly giving cash payments as a way to provide relief to people after disasters. The use of cash, as opposed to "in kind" assistance, is a relatively new approach. This report documents lessons learned from previous experience and provides guidance for project managers needing to make choices about how best to deliver cash to people. Aid agencies are at the early stages of developing guidelines, policies and organisational capacity to implement cash projects. It suggests the key questions that need to be asked in assessing the choice between different options. The authors suggest that it is useful to look at the following factors when examining delivery options:

• who is involved in the delivery of cash (the delivery agent/s),
• how the cash is delivered (the delivery method) ? Delivery agents include governments, aid agencies, banks, post-offices, mobile phone companies, micro-finance companies, security companies, local traders or a combination of these. Delivery methods, whereby cash, vouchers or e-money is delivered, include: direct delivery (cash in envelopes); delivery through banking systems (either over the counter, from ATMs or other mobile banking technologies); and delivery using smart cards, debit cards, prepaid cards and Point of Sale devices and/or mobile phone technologies. Different delivery methods and delivery agents have been used in various combinations

Save the Children, Oxfam, British Red Cross - 2010