Mandate:   
LHIF is an independent coordinating body composed of international NGOs operating in Lebanon that facilitates the work of its members to address the needs of the most vulnerable.

Purpose & Vision:
Purpose: LHIF’s purpose is to provide a joint platform to facilitate members’ work and help members to efficiently address key issues of common interest.
Vision: LHIF aspires to be an inclusive, representative and independent forum that is out in front on key operational, coordination, localization/partnership and advocacy issues and recognized as a leading actor in the aid community in Lebanon, helping to enable a functional, integrated response architecture that better identifies and serves the most vulnerable.

History:
LHIF was formed in October 2012 to provide a common platform for advocacy among international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) responding to the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Lebanon and to facilitate representation of INGOs within the Humanitarian Country Team and other inter-agency coordination mechanisms. LHIF expanded both its mandate and membership throughout 2013 looking more broadly at the overall crisis in Lebanon and formally adopting coordination as part of its mandate. LHIF established a permanent Secretariat with dedicated full-time staff in October 2013. Since then, and particularly after 2019, LHIF has widened its focus to address the needs of all vulnerable populations in Lebanon, including Lebanese, Palestinians, and migrant populations and to take on a nexus approach.

Leadership:    
The Plenary Assembly of all members is LHIF's strategic decision-making body. A seven-member Steering Committee is elected every year, has primary responsibility for representation, and is empowered with tactical decision-making authority to move forward strategic decisions made by the Plenary. One Steering Committee member is elected as the Chair. The Secretariat, under the leadership of the Country Coordinator and reporting to the Steering Committee, supports the fulfilment of LHIF's purpose, vision and core functions.

The current LHIF Steering Committee is: Action Against Hunger (ACF), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Jusoor, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Medair, Premiere Urgence, and Solidarites International.

Representation:
LHIF facilitates INGO representation at the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) Steering Committee, the Humanitarian Country Team, and other multi-stakeholder leadership and coordination bodies, as well as with the Government of Lebanon, UN, donors and diplomatic community, national civil society, and other external stakeholders as authorized and on issues agreed by the membership. LHIF also supports and works to enhance engagement of NGOs through response planning and coordination mechanisms.

LHIF Secretariat:

Caitlin Carr, Country Coordinator
Lama Soboh, Knowledge Management & Membership Senior Officer’

LHIF is generously funded by the Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Swiss Cooperation Office in Lebanon (SDC), European Commission in Beirut (ECHO) and the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF).