Cash Delivery Mechanism Assessment Tool

In line with its commitment to institutionalise the use of Cash-Based Interventions (CBIs), the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released the Operational Guidance for Cash-Based Interventions in Displacement Settings (“the Guidelines”) dated 4 February 2015, to guide the set-up and 
implementation of CBIs.

Recognising the need to complement the Guidelines with practical tools that can be used by field practitioners,UNHCR developed a Cash Delivery Mechanism Assessment Tool (CDMAT) in 2016 to help field teams to assess the adequacy of various cash delivery mechanisms to meet programme needs. The tool is available to all
partners, including United Nations (UN) agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), development actors and civil society, which can adapt it for their own use.

The CDMAT is intended for use at the response analysis stage of the programme cycle, when a multisectoral team is tasked with assessing the range of cash delivery mechanisms available to determine whether or not cash is a viable programming option, as well as during the programme planning phase, when a more detailed
assessment of the cash delivery options is required, as shown in the figure below. The CDMAT can also be used as part of CBI preparedness activities.

Please note that the CDMAT does not cover vouchers, or any new arrangements on implementing CBIs, such as customised solutions, joint delivery mechanisms with partners, unique funding modalities, etc.