MBRRR Preparedness

Holistic Assessment for Readiness in Cash (HARC)

Using the Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) developed by the Cash Learning Partnership as a foundation, CRS created an organizational tool to assess and measure internal cash programming capacity. The Holistic Assessment for Readiness in Cash tool, or HARC, has been used to establish a capacity baseline for select CRS country programs looking to understand how to improve their cash preparedness and increase the use of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) as a response modality in humanitarian programming. By engaging key office staff and collecting relevant information on different aspects of an organization’s cash capacity, the HARC tool uses weighted scoring and benchmarks to help identify and prioritize action steps to improve cash preparedness.

The HARC categorizes assessment information into six categories:

  1. Leadership and Institutional Support
  2. Policy, Strategy, and Standards
  3. Analysis and Planning
  4. Operational Capacity (Programs)
  5. Operations Support (Finance, Supply Chain, HR, etc.)
  6. Coordination and Partnership

The current version of the HARC requires external organization staff (i.e. staff not from the country program or office) familiar with the tool’s components to conduct the assessment. Future iterations of the HARC will include the option for country programs or offices to self-assess their organizational cash capacity.

HARC Guidance Document
HARC Tool