Factal
Humanitarian aid, disaster relief and human rights organizations operate in some of the most dangerous and challenging environments. From disaster zones to conflict areas, NGOs often are on the frontlines in areas where medical care is limited and news coverage is scarce.
Operating on tight budgets, they have little to spend on risk intelligence tools that could help protect their teams during crises. Soon after Factal launched, we began offering free, unlimited access to qualified NGOs. Today, more than 300 humanitarian aid and disaster relief organizations rely on Factal to support their work, extending help to millions around the world.
Turning real-time alerts into action
For Hostage US, which supports families of hostages and wrongful detainees, timing is everything.
“Because breaking news can impact families in unexpected ways, it’s important that we get in front of the story so that families are never blindsided by news that is relevant to their situation,” says Katie Symansky, Program Director at Hostage US. “Factal allows us to do this with real-time notifications delivered to our inbox.”
During the Pakistan floods, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies relied on these alerts to guide decisions about emergency funding.
“In IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Office we rely on Factal during disaster and crisis response to help us gauge the severity of emergencies from a media perspective,” says Felipe Del Cid, Thematic Lead for Evolving Crisis and Disasters at IFRC. “Factal was an important source of information together with the reliable information provided by PRCS and volunteers working on the ground.”
Beacon Rescue, a nonprofit specializing in search-and-rescue operations, also uses real-time alerts to enhance situational awareness. During the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, these updates helped NGOs track changing fire conditions, road closures, and evacuation orders, keeping staff safe and aid moving quickly.
“We deeply appreciate the role Factal plays in helping organizations like ours make informed decisions in high-pressure scenarios,” said Nathan Goggans, Beacon Rescue. “It’s truly an indispensable tool in our mission to provide effective and efficient disaster response.”
Cutting through the noise
Large NGOs often juggle dozens of offices and thousands of travelers at once, which can make information overwhelming.
“If you have too many alerts, you don’t read alerts. If you have too many notifications, you just mark them as read and you miss the important ones,” says Thomas de Lacoste, Amnesty International’s deputy director for security.
Factal allows global security teams to cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters. Trusted verification, deeply customizable alerts and an easy-to-use design have made it a staple for NGO security, operations and communications teams.
World Central Kitchen relies on this clarity to support operations worldwide.
“Our partnership with Factal gives World Central Kitchen’s teams the confidence to focus on the mission, knowing we’re supported with critical information wherever we are,” says John Hughes, Director of Operational Security.
“Whether it’s receiving mobile alerts in the field or monitoring risks from the operations center, Factal has been a trusted partner we can always count on for real-time insight.”
Preparing for future risks
Factal has proven to be valuable beyond the initial response of an emergency. Year-round operations rely on historical context and ongoing situational awareness to be prepared to keep teams and communities safe.
“Factal has not only helped us to have vital historical data for our hundreds of global locations, but the resources offered, from briefings, trainings, ad-hoc incident chats have been really helpful in keeping us informed and engaged,” said Lindsay Moore, Global Logistics and Supply Chain Specialist at Alight (formerly The American Refugee Committee).
Whether it’s helping families, responding to floods or delivering aid, these organizations turn real-time information into real-world impact, and Factal is proud to support the work they do every day.
Factal is free for qualified NGOs
Factal’s public service mission is to protect people from imminent harm and help those in immediate need. We provide free access to more than 300 humanitarian aid, disaster relief and human rights NGOs.
NGOs interested in Factal should visit here to apply for unlimited free access. Corporations interested in learning how Factal’s paid product can increase the speed of action for their security and resilience teams can learn more on Factal.com and request a free 30-day trial.
Top photo: First responders in Ukraine eat a meal provided by World Central Kitchen as they take a break from their work. (World Central Kitchen, Flickr, CC BY 4.0)