The purpose of the global capacity-building exercise is to ensure predictable and sufficient response capacity exists at the global level to complement national-led responses to humanitarian emergencies, including in the following areas: trained surge capacity, stockpiles, agreed inter-agency standards, systems and tools. Eleven global cluster working groups have been created, and have based their work plans on an analysis of capacity gaps and requirements. The present note, as requested by the convenor of the global cluster leads/donor meeting on 30 October, summarises some issues for advance consideration by the donor community.