The need for humanitarian innovation
The global need for humanitarian assistance continues to reach unprecedented levels. According to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over 305 million people worldwide required humanitarian assistance in 2025, with funding requirements exceeding $47.4 billion—only 40% of which was met. Conflict remains a primary driver of humanitarian need, with record numbers of forcibly displaced people worldwide. As traditional humanitarian systems strain to meet escalating demands, innovation has become essential for delivering more effective and efficient aid in conflict zones.
Innovating for a better humanitarian response
Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (CHIC) identifies and accelerates innovations that save and improve the lives of those living in humanitarian crises caused by conflict. CHIC is implemented by Grand Challenges Canada, in partnership with the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and Global Affairs Canada.
Our impact
Since its inception, Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge has made remarkable progress in supporting conflict-affected communities:
Invested in
92 unique innovations
in conflict-affected countries
Reached more than
4 million people
with life-saving and life-improving innovations
Innovators leveraged an additional
$130 million in funding
as a result of CHIC’s support
Generated
$3.30
in new investments for every $1 invested by Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge
More than
700,000 lives improved
in conflict-affected countries
Funded innovations in
27 conflict-affected countries
with major implementation in Syria, DRC, Yemen, South Sudan, and Nigeria
How we fund
CHIC employs a strategic funding approach to support innovations at different stages of development:
Seed funding
CHIC has awarded seed funding to over 65 innovations, which allows innovators to test and refine new innovation concepts in conflict-affected settings.
Transition to Scale funding
We have supported 27 Transition to Scale grants (up to $1.5M CAD), which are designed to help proven innovations expand their reach and impact, positioning them towards scale.
Ecosystem catalyst grants
Launched in 2024, these grants support partnerships between promising CHIC innovations and established humanitarian organizations to facilitate integration into existing systems.
Focus on local innovation
CHIC has made significant progress in prioritizing locally-led solutions, increasing from 24% when we launched the portfolio in 2018 to to 46% in 2025.
As part of our commitment to localization, we are actively supporting innovations led by women, gender-diverse leaders, and marginalized groups, working to simplify our funding processes and provide greater flexibility where we possible. We are constantly working to understand the needs of the innovators we support and to help facilitate opportunities for them to build networks, showcase impact and overcome barriers to scale.
What we fund
We fund bold, locally driven innovations to help overcome barriers in the world’s most challenging humanitarian settings. We focus on solutions led by — and for — conflict-affected communities, reaching those often left behind.
We invest in transformative ideas across four critical areas:
Expanding equitable access to climate-smart, renewable energy solutions, with a focus on sustainable, affordable models that endure in crisis settings.
Strengthening health systems by addressing gaps in infrastructure, disease surveillance, healthcare worker capacity, and the impacts of climate change on health.
Improving the reliability, security, and accessibility of critical information, with an emphasis on two-way communication and responsible use of emerging technologies like AI.
Delivering inclusive solutions for clean water, sanitation, and waste management, with particular attention to the needs of women, girls, and people with disabilities.
Featured reports
The path forward
CHIC is charting an ambitious course for its next five years:
Advancing localization
Ensuring resources reach those closest to the problems
Optimizing innovator support
Enhancing programs to maximize scale and impact potential
Accelerating adoption
Working collaboratively with humanitarian partners to scale proven solutions
Testing new funding models
Expediting decisions during acute crises
Sharing knowledge
Positioning CHIC as a thought leader in humanitarian innovation
As global humanitarian catastrophes continue to emerge and intensify, the resources required to meet the needs of affected communities are falling behind. Local innovators can meet those needs: they are creative, flexible, and adaptable to ever-shifting crises.
Dr. Fawad Akbari, Grand Challenges Canada’s Director of Humanitarian Innovation and Program Optimization
Join Us
Creating Hope in Conflict continues to drive meaningful change in humanitarian innovation. Through patient funding, collaborative relationships, and innovative approaches, CHIC is helping transform how we respond to humanitarian challenges in conflict settings.
