1. The Community, Rights and Gender Strategic Initiative (2017-2019)
An Overview
Dr. Gemma M. Oberth & Rene Bangert
Global Fund, CRG Department
Meeting of the Regional Platform For Communication and Coordination for Latin America and the Caribbean
Lima, Peru
June 2018

2. The CRG Special Initiative 2014-16 Some recap
In April 2014, the GF Board approved US$15M ( ), to ensure that communities and civil society are engaged in Global Fund processes.
UNAIDS, Stop TB, RBM, Communities Delegation Rep., German BACKUP Initiative, French Expertise, GMD, TC and CCM Hubs are member of the CRG-SI Coordination Mechanism.
USD 15 million invested in the three mutually reinforcing components.
1. Short Tem Technical Assistance
2. Long Term Capacity
Development
3. Regional Platforms for Communication and Coordination

3. The CRG Special Initiative 2014-16 Some recap
Objective
Provides technical assistance to national civil society organizations in a range of areas including situational analysis and planning, participation in country dialogue and program design
Short-term peer-to-peer Technical Assistance for Civil Society and Communities
Key figures from the cycle
34 CSO
TA Providers
***
Over 80 approved TA assignments
- TA in three areas:
a. Situational analysis and needs assessment
b. Engagement in Country Dialogue and processes
c. Supporting programme design
- Strengthened the process and content of: 24 Country Concept Notes & 16 Regional Concept Notes
The first component is the short-term Technical assistance component which aims to provide short term technical assistance for civil society, led and supported BY civil society (including national and regional organisations)
TA Component actual spend: USD 4.6 million
So what specifically can civil society and communities make a request for short-term technical assistance:
A. situation analyses or needs assessments to ensure that the concept note is well designed and informed by civil society, communities and key populations.
B. Short-term technical assistance can also be used to support the engagement of civil society and key populations to participate in country dialogue processes and to further advocate to include issues related to community, rights and gender in concept notes.
And finally, C. in program design so that civil society organisations can also be supported to develop budget plans for the different interventions specified in concept notes with particular emphasis on CRG and key populations
Here is the list of providers of technical assistance which have been approved through a competitive RFP process by the Global Fund in 2014 to deliver short-term technical assistance.

4. The CRG Special Initiative 2014-16 Key evaluation findings: Short-term TA
Key outcomes
Global Fund processes with stronger and more meaningful communities/civil society engagement
Clearer articulation of joint priorities
More effective promotion of ‘asks’ in Concept Note development and grant-making
Inclusion of better designed and budgeted CRG-related interventions
Evidence and consultation-based Regional Concept Notes addressing strategic CRG gaps
Key Challenges
Cut-off point for TA at grant signing
Low uptake among Malaria stakeholders
Managing expectations among civil society TA providers
Lack of expertise in emerging technical areas
Lack of M&E framework to identify and measure expected outcomes
Starting before Component 3’s Regional Coordination Platforms
For a ‘snapshot’ of results for Component 1 ….
By mid-October 2016, a total of 65 TA assignments had been approved.
The assistance was delivered peer-to-peer and, predominantly, South-to-South, by 34 pre-qualified providers, mostly communities/civil society organisations.
TA was provided in three main categories:
Situational analysis and needs assessment
Engagement in Country Dialogue and processes
Supporting programme design
Overall, the assistance strengthened the process and content of:
24 Country Concept Notes
16 Regional Concept Notes
The outcomes of Component 1 included that the TA assignments contributed to:
The conduct of national and regional-level Global Fund processes that benefitted from the more meaningful engagement and stronger representation of communities/civil society
The clearer articulation of communities’/civil society’s joint priorities within Global Fund Country/Regional Dialogue processes
The more effective and strategic promotion of communities/civil society ‘asks’ within the development of Global Fund Country/Regional Concept Notes and subsequent grant-making
The inclusion of better designed and budgeted CRG-related interventions in Modules of Global Fund Country/Regional Concept Notes
The successful submission of evidence and consultation-based Regional Concept Notes that address strategic CRG-related gaps, in particular the needs of key populations

5. Moving forward: The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
In November 2016, the Global Fund Board reaffirmed its committed with the strengthening of the voices of civil society in the Global Fund’s processes by approving a new phase of the Special Initiative ( ).
Within the new commitment, now called Strategic Initiative, the Fund allocated additional $ 15 million to be executed throughout by the three mutually reinforcing components presented below:
: TA Component allocated: USD 6 million; Capacity building component: USD 5 million; Regional Platforms: USD 4 million
On how TA has been extended to cover the grant implementation stage: these are detailed still to be determined in the coming months before the launch of the RFP.
The 15 million has to last three years, that it is likely there would be 120 TA assignments over three years, 40 per year, 3-4 per month; and that this money cannot be spent all in the first two windows of this year!!!! Important to keep this in mind.

6. CRG Strategic Initiative Theory of Change

7. Moving forward: The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
1. CRG Short-term Technical Assistance – What’s new?
Replenishment of pool of TA providers: Stronger capacity to deliver in key areas including:
Gender,
Human Rights barriers to services
Malaria
Tuberculosis
Sustainability, transition and co-financing (STC)
Support to civil society in Challenging Operating Environments (COEs)
TA is now extended also to cover the grant implementation phases (e.g. to enhance the capacity of community organizations to engage in community-based monitoring and feedback initiatives to monitor grant implementation). This means that civil society organizations aiming at engaging in GF and related processes can apply for TA any time.

8. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Who provides the CRG technical assistance?
26 civil society and key populations networks and have been prequalified as CRG technical assistance providers:
1. African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR)
14. Community Leadership and Action Collaborative (CLAC)
2. AIDS & Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA)
15. Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM)
3. AIDS Strategy, Advocacy and Policy (ASAP)
16. HIVOS
4. Alliance India
17. International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)
5. Alliance Technical Assistance Centre – International Charitable Foundation (ATAC-ICF)
18. International Council of Aids Service Organizations (ICASO)
19. KELIN
6. International HIV/AIDS Alliance
20. KeNAAM
7. Amref
21. Moldovan Institute for Human Rights (IDOM)
8. APCOM
22. Nai Zindagi
9. Asia Catalyst
23. Networking HIV & AIDS Community of Southern Africa (NACOSA)
10. ATHENA
11. Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)
24. PATH
12. Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
25. Speak Up Africa
13. Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC)
26. The Union

9. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
What is the scope of the CRG technical assistance?
The Community, Rights and Gender (CRG) Technical Assistance Program provides support to civil society and community organizations to meaningfully engage in Global Fund related processes during:
Country dialogue
Funding request development
Grant-making
Grant implementation
Technical assistance can be requested in the following areas:
Situational analysis and planning
Participation in country dialogue
Program design
Oversight and monitoring of grant implementation
Engagement in sustainability and transition strategy development
*It is important to note that the Technical Assistance program does not cover long-term capacity building of civil society organizations, strengthening of Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM) and funding request writing.

10. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Some examples of technical assistance requests include:
1. Support to design, plan and implement a consultation process to identify key population priorities for HIV funding request development
Example: In Nepal, the National Association of PLHIV in Nepal (NAP+N) received TA to strengthen adequate technical capacity of CCM member's, Key Population Network to increase constituency engagement at national and sub national level.
2. Designing and budgeting for community systems strengthening programs as part of the grant-making process
Example: In Ghana, the CCM received TA to address TRP's concerns by undertaking a mapping exercise of CSOs, KP networks, PLHIV coalitions and develop a CSS strategic framework.
3. Facilitating a funding request review among youth organizations to identify gaps and propose appropriate interventions for inclusion
Example: In Zambia, the Zambia Youth Platform (ZYP) received TA to the technical capacity of Adolescents and young people to meaningfully engage in the relevant GF and national dialogue processes that affect adolescents and young people's health.
4. Proactive, peer-led community engagement support to civil society and community in sustainability and transition planning
Example: In Bolivia, Fundación Hábitat Verde received TA to ensure the financial and programmatic sustainability of social and community strategies in the responses to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, with the full participation of organizations and community groups in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of response strategies to diseases at all levels.

11. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Figure: Number of CRG TA Requests Received, by Region (April May 2018) (n=58)

12. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
CRG TA Assignments Delivered (since April 2017) or Ongoing in the LAC Region
Country
Scope of TA
Status of TA
Bolivia
To conduct an assessment of community health services
Completed
Guatemala
To support the development of robust and comprehensive human rights programs in HIV allocation
To ensure the financial and programmatic sustainability of social and community strategies in the responses to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, with the full participation of organizations and community groups in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of response strategies. to diseases at all levels
Consultant Identification
To provide support in transition readiness (social dialogue)
Internal Discussion

13. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Figure: Number of CRG TA Requests Received, by Funding Cycle Stage (April May 2018)
Note: Examples of assignments in the “other” category include support for things like TB/HIV gender assessments, engagement in sustainability and transition strategies, etc.

14. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Figure: Number of CRG TA Requests Received, by Disease Component (April May 2018)

15. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Eligibility Rate (April 2017 – May 2018)
COE Requests (April 2017 – May 2018)

16. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Possible reasons for a TA request to be deemed ineligible for support:
The application is not linked to an existing grant (country or region), for example before the funding request is submitted/made
Demand duplicates existing / recent work in the region with civil society/communities/key populations
The application does not fall within the areas in which the CRG Special Initiative can support, i.e. following the finalization of the funding request or for capacity building of PRs/SRs
The request was made without verifying whether the technical partners in the region are already supporting similar work / have a mandate to support the work
Demand exceeding the understanding of the term "short-term” (approximately 30 days worth of support)
Major partners within the CRG Strategic Initiative have the mandate / are already supporting similar work, such as the work of the key and vulnerable population networks supported under Component 2
SO what are some of the most common reasons (in the case of the 35) technical assistance requests deemed ineligible?
If requests for civil society capacity building are eligible, they must be linked to the existing processes of the Global Fund.
Approximately 30% of CRG's technical assistance requests relate to activities that can not be supported, such as capacity building for key CCM representatives and the request for concept note writers.

17. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Before submitting a request for TA, consider:
Is the request for technical assistance explicitly linked to a Global Fund process?
Is the application linked to an existing grant in the region? For example, country planning / the possibility of applying for funding
Have there been similar and/or recent TA missions in the country?
Has the Regional Platform already undertaken similar work? If so, it is necessary to see whether the Platform could support the elements of the request, i.e. the needs assessment.
Determine what other technical assistance is provided in the region by the technical partners, Expertise France / WHO
Ask the Regional Platform to review the TA application form before submitting it.
If your CRG Short Term TA proposal is not eligible, find out why. Then, consider making another request.
SO what are some of the most common reasons (in the case of the 35) technical assistance requests deemed ineligible?
If requests for civil society capacity building are eligible, they must be linked to the existing processes of the Global Fund.
Approximately 30% of CRG's technical assistance requests relate to activities that can not be supported, such as capacity building for key CCM representatives and the request for concept note writers.

18. The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
CRG Short-term Technical Assistance
Where to find more information about the CRG technical assistance?
More information on the CRG technical assistance can be accessed through the Community, Rights & Gender Technical Assistance Program webpage [click here]
The CRG technical assistance contains, along with some general information about the program, a set of documents that can be very helpful for any civil society organizations aiming at engaging in Global Fund related processes:
CRG Technical Assistance Program Providers List [click here]
CRG Technical Assistance Program Frequently Asked Questions, available in six different languages: [Arabic], [English], [Spanish], [French], [Portuguese] and [Russian].
CRG Technical Assistance Program Request Form, available in six different languages: [Arabic],[English],[Spanish],[French],[Portuguese] and [Russian].
Requests should be submitted using the form and should be sent via to:

19. Moving forward: The 2017-2019 CRG-Strategic Initiative
2. Long-term capacity development and meaningful engagement of key and vulnerable populations
Will continue to support the meaningful engagement of key and vulnerable populations in Global Fund processes in the long-term;
Global networks of HIV KPs
Direct contract between the Networks and the Global Fund
Networks of HIV KPs that will be supported by the CRG-SI to be announced soon!
AGWY Fund: HER Voice Fund
Provision of small grants to CS and community groups in 13 AGYW focus countries
HER Voice website launched on World AIDS Day:
Malaria
More focused investment in the engagement of communities affected by Malaria
Tuberculosis
More focused investment in the engagement of Global and Regional Networks of TB Advocates

20. Thematic Focus Areas of CRG SI Partners Under Component 2 Long-term capacity development of key and vulnerable population groups
CRG SI Partner
Sustainability and transition
Country Coordinating Mechanisms
Tools development and training
Community-based monitoring and feedback
Grant Implementers and the grant implementation phase
Engagement in the funding model
Access to, and provision of, technical assistance
Research, analysis and knowledge production
NSWP
GNP+
MSMGF
Youth LEAD
INPUD
GATE/ APTN

21. CRG SI Partners Under Component 3 Regional Platforms for Communication and Coordination
Host Organization
Location
Francophone Africa
Réseau Accès aux Médicaments Essentiels (RAME)
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Anglophone Africa
Eastern Africa National Networks of AIDS Service Organizations (EANNASO)
Arusha, Tanzania
Latin American the Caribbean
Via Libre
Lima, Peru
Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)
Vilnius, Lithuania
Asia and the Pacific
APCASO
Bangkok, Thailand
Middle East and North Africa
International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, Middle East and North Africa (ITPC-MENA)
Marrakech, Morocco

22. Thematic Focus Areas of CRG SI Partners Under Component 3 Regional Platforms for Communication and Coordination
CRG SI Partner
Sustainability and transition
Country Coordinating Mechanisms
Tools development and training
Community-based monitoring and feedback
Coordination support to civil society PRs/SRs
Challenging Operating Environments
Engagement in the funding model
Adolescent girls and young women
Research, analysis and knowledge production
Francophone Africa (RAME)
Anglophone Africa (EANNASO)
Latin American the Caribbean (Via Libre)
Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EHRA)
Asia and the Pacific (APCASO)
Middle East and North Africa (ITPC-MENA)

23. Identified Synergies between Component 2 and 3
KP Network Activities Which the Regional Platforms Can Support
CRG SI Partner
Global Network of People Living With HIV (GNP+)
International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD)
Global Action for Trans* Equality (GATE) / Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN)
Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF)
Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP)
Youth LEAD
Francophone Africa (RAME)
IDUIT training in Cameroon
n/a
Mobilizing KPs, trainings in Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire
TA in country partners DRC, Rwanda & Senegal
Anglophone Africa (EANNASO)
Case studies, community trainings, community forums
Dissemination of country profiles, Face-to-face TA, IDUIT training
Progress reporting on trans engagement in CCMs
Community empowerment in 4 African countries
Regional convening, TA in 4 African countries
Evidence generation, TA to African partners
Latin American the Caribbean (Via Libre)
Community training and women’s forums in Jamaica
Training and community mapping in Colombia, Ecuador and El Salvador
STC assessments in 3 LAC countries, training on tools in Peru, community monitoring
Mobilizing community, STC training in 6 LAC countries
TA to 7 LAC countries, regional STC convening
Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EHRA)
Community training and forums, TA to CCMs, case studies
Virtual meetings, mobilizing community members
Progress reporting on MSM reps in CCMs, STC readiness planning in 3 EECA countries
Tool development to support community engagement
TA in 4 countries, Regional convening on STC processes
Asia and the Pacific (APCASO)
TA to CCM members, community forums
Face-to-face TA, regional workshops, community–led research
STC assessments, development of guidelines, training and monitoring.
Mobilizing community, engagement on CCMs
Regional convening on transition processes
TA to AP country partners, toolkit trainings
Middle East and North Africa (ITPC-MENA)
Community and women’s forums in Pakistan
Trainings in Lebanon, Pakistan and Afghanistan
MSMIT workshops in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria & Mauritania
TA to country partners in Pakistan, training

24. Community Responses: “Across the Spectrum”
Diverse types of community responses sit on a spectrum from closely linked with the formal health system to fully self-directed. Some types of community response are increasingly accepted by ministries (left hand side) whilst others (right hand side) are not necessarily recognized as health related interventions. They are not
always incorporated in national health or disease plans. Indeed, at times, they may be seen by the health sector as antagonistic, because they can challenge what national programs are doing or not doing. This includes community based monitoring and feedback mechanisms that help improve quality and responsiveness of services. Nonetheless, there is growing recognition that these responses make an important contribution to better health

25. Definition of Community-Based Monitoring
Community-Based Monitoring is a process by which local communities gather and use information on service provision or information on local conditions impacting on services, in order to improve the responsiveness, equity and quality of services and hold service providers to account. In relation to health, it can be general (e.g. monitoring a range of health services at community level), or disease specific (e.g. monitoring availability of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets or stock outs of medicine), or even sub-programme specific (e.g. monitoring quality of programs for adolescent girls).
CBM has the ability to help identify and address issues in relation to:
Access to services
Gender and human rights barriers
Quality of services
Budget and program monitoring

26. Community Based Monitoring: An Example related to Access
Community Treatment Observatories - International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) in: East, West & Central Africa, Latin America
How does it work?
Keep a check on ARV supply drugs
Alert mismanagement of drug supplies and stock-out
Support or lead operational research e.g. community-led research in Jamaica has documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by PLHIV in their effort to access and adhere to treatment
Represent/participate in policy reform processes

27. Community Based Monitoring: An Example related to HR violations

28. Community-based monitoring
Eligible technical assistance requests:
Hold a consultation to share best practices of community-based monitoring
Develop a strategy on ways to strengthen community-based monitoring
Map existing mechanisms of feedback and community based monitoring and make recommendations for improvement
Example: Indonesia civil society org. received TA to review community based monitoring of service provision and provider led feedback mechanisms. Through the TA they developed an implementation plan and made recommendations to improve existing mechanisms.
Please note: Capacity building, advocacy, and implementation of activities are not eligible for TA through the CRG SI

29. Questions & Discussion