This study documents the outcome of acting early to protect farming families in northwestern Bangladesh from impending floods. It outlines FAO’s contribution to a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BRCS), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Food Programme (WFP). Specifically, it provides evidence on how effective FAO’s anticipatory actions have been in supporting vulnerable groups and highlights their perspectives on the benefits of acting early. Follow-up studies are needed to explore the full benefits of FAO’s interventions, and to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its cascading effect on resilience and well-being.