Case Study: United Nations OCHA speeds humanitarian proposal review with Slalom AI

Allocating Humanitarian Funds to Those Who Need Them Most

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) faced the challenge of efficiently reviewing over 100 lengthy project proposals per year to allocate humanitarian funds effectively. Their small team needed a way to thoroughly analyze these documents to ensure donor contributions were directed toward key initiatives. Partnering with Slalom and the UN Emerging Technologies Lab, they sought an AI-powered solution to streamline this intensive process.

Slalom developed a proof-of-concept using Azure Cognitive Search and AI to create a knowledge graph that scores proposals against OCHA's priority initiatives. The solution automated the extraction of key topics, implemented a "distance-to-initiative" scoring algorithm, and incorporated responsible AI practices to remove bias. Built in under three weeks, the tool allows OCHA to process documents in seconds, providing deep insights into funding alignment and trends, which ultimately ensures aid reaches those in crisis more effectively.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Lambert Hogenhout

Chief Data, Analytics, and Emerging Technologies Officer