1. Making TA Work & Accessible for CS PRs
Global Fund CS Implementers Forum
Hoda Mansour – Senior Advisor: M&E
26 June 2019

2. Goal: Programme Background increase sustainability of services
For kps in mena
that would accelerate progress on
unaids fast-track targets
Brief intro about who am I and why I am here
3 year multi-country grant: Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt  with regional impact
The goal of this programme is to increase sustainability of quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services for key populations in MENA that would accelerate progress on UNAIDS Fast-Track targets.
Although each country has its specific context, we have common challenges and gaps! Therefore, this gives us the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other to address these gaps and challenges. That would otherwise, could not be accomplished through individual national grants.

3. Theory of Change
We developed this theory This theory of change based on the needs of KP populations and identified gaps.
These are the results we would like to see as a result of the grant (these cannot be achieved w/n three years)
1- Reduction of structural barriers for key populations to access services and be retained in care
2- Increased number of innovative and sustainable service delivery models across the region
3- Increased domestic financing for quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services for KPs through public health systems, community systems or through social contracting
4- Increased number of CSOs and KP networks with improved institutional capacity to address the needs of KPs and collaborate with health systems to address identified issues
5- Increased amount of funding mobilized by CSOs and KP networks from public, private and other sources to better address the needs of KPs
6- Increased number of existing CSOs working on broader health and gender issues integrating HIV services in their programs
7- Increased number of existing local CSOs and networks registered and having legal status

4. Where are we now? Grant implementation: March 2019
Project Management Unit is formed
Capacity and financial assessments of SRs
Operational manual finalized for SRs
SR work-plans finalized
Few SRs kick-started their activities
SR manual finalized

5. Challenges and Mitigation Measures
Internal
FA last Prship:
Delays in set-up
M&E for R-MC grants
FA has a long history of civil society strengthening through organisational development especially for GF implementation. So, this gives us an idea of the requirements needed.
Attending meetings that help us learn and share best practices and lessons learned
Virtual CoP
Implementing Partners
Complex environment with multiple priorities and limited human resources
For some this is the first time working with a donor with such high compliance and expectations.
Communication
Forgetfulness that their success and failures have impact on the totality of the grant
Some partners with greater GF experience support and drive increased capacity in the partners who have less experience.
Communication: persistence, using informal methods such as WhatsApp
Reminding participants that their success and failures have impact on the totality of the grant
With the GF
Pressure to implement all Y1 activities despite delays in 2 quarters
Accelerated Work- Plans
Continuous communication with our CT re: major challenges and pressures
Internal
FA last Prship was in it was for a Ukraine Round 1 HIV grant that Alliance was asked by GF to “take over” in 2004 under a stewardship agreement. Alliance managed the grant until 2009.
delays in set-up: the design of the PMU is unique and was not implemented previously  took more time than expected. The PMU was set-up on March 1, when we should have started implementation on Jan 1, 2019
M&E for a regional grant is very different than traditional M&E processes. we are not following the same process as for national grants and had to adapt, evolve, and create new M&E processes
Mitigation Measures
Although FA secretariat has not been involved in direct GF implementation for a while, many of our Linking Organisations have – both as PR and SR. As such, FA has a long history of civil society strengthening through organisational development especially for GF implementation. This includes areas such as governance, finance, technical programming, risk management and M&E. So, this gives us an idea of the requirements needed.
Attending meetings that help us learn and share best practices and lessons learned
Virtual CoP
With implementing partners
partners are working in complex environments with multiple priorities and limited human resources and sometimes face high turnover  so, we would witness delays in reporting. Some diligent in accomplishing their tasks and moving on with activity implementation, while others are lagging behind.
For some this is the first time working with a donor with such high compliance and expectations.
Communication: some are some partners are irresponsive to our requests
Forgetfulness that their success and failures have impact on the totality of the grant / with the new grant starting with a regional scope, countries are still focused on their own activities. The regional and global vision of the project is often hindered by the habit of partners focusing on their own organization's objectives and project activities, which hinders the effort to steadily move towards noticeable progress.
Mitigation Measures:
Presence of partners with greater GF experience through national grants  we are using the existing technical and programming expertise within the partners to support and drive increased capacity in partners who have less experience. We also try to provide support as much as needed.
Communication: persistence, using informal methods such as WhatsApp
Reminding participants that their success and failures have impact on the totality of the grant and have a effect on the regional impact
With the GF
Pressure to implement all Y1 activities despite delays in 2 quarters
Accelerated Work- Plans
Continuous communication with our CT re: major challenges and pressures