The Systematic Cost Analysis (SCAN) Tool

Humanitarian needs far outweigh the resources to meet them: In 2017 only 50% of HRP appeals were met, leaving a gap of $11.6 billion. Spending money to deliver the most life-saving assistance is critical, but at present we are unable to answer questions like, “How much should I budget to meet these needs? Could I save more lives by implementing a different program design?” To answer such questions, humanitarian actors would need to run a customized analysis on not only their program, but on other comparable programs to determine the best course. In emergency settings, hardly anyone has the time—or the specialized skills—to perform such a feat. The Systematic Cost Analysis (SCAN) Tool addresses this urgent need for data by making the production of cost analysis data faster and more rigorous than ever before, enabling humanitarian actors to confidently identify strategies that will deliver the most life-saving aid within limited budgets.