A MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH TO BUILDING CAPACITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 001064 SIPDIS STATE PLEASE PASS TO OGAC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID KHIV SOCI MZ SUBJECT: A MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH TO BUILDING CAPACITY THROUGH PEPFAR SMALL GRANTS ¶1. SUMMARY: In response to the new objectives of PEPFAR II, and as a result of an internal review of Post's Small Grants Program (SGP) selection process, Post is initiating new procedures for selecting, assisting and overseeing its PEPFAR Quick Impact grant recipients. A multi-agency approach is being used to ensure selection of grant recipients that fit more closely within the overall portfolio of the Mozambique PEPFAR program. Moreover, a new emphasis will be placed on involving Peace Corps Volunteers, Prime Partners and Public-Private partnerships to nurture small grantees in order to meet the PEPFAR II goals of building local capacity and sustainability. These new approaches will help Post fulfill PEPFAR II's goal of fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Mozambique through field-driven approaches that strengthen country capacity and nurture small local organizations into mature civil society institutions. END SUMMARY. -------------- THE MORE, THE MERRIER -------------- ¶2. The PEPFAR reauthorization bill highlights the continued need for partnerships with an emphasis on mentorship, employing a conscious strategy of shifting to an indigenous response. Post's Small Grants Program (SGP) in the Political/Economic section previously had been solely responsible for the advertising, evaluation, and selection of its PEPFAR Small Grant recipients. In response to OGAC concerns about the lack of integration of the SGP into the larger PEPFAR portfolio, the SGP is initiating a new multi-agency approach for the selection of its small grant recipients. This approach involves the assistance of USAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),and the Peace Corps. Henceforth, grant proposals will first be circulated to the inter-agency technical working groups for Prevention, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC),and System Strengthening. Each technical working group will review the proposals and evaluate them based on criteria, including the type of assistance to be provided, the geographical location of the project and synergies with the overall PEPFAR Mozambique portfolio. The selected proposals from the technical working groups will then be sent to the inter-agency steering committee for the final selection. Although this procedure is more time consuming, it results in the selection of small grant recipients that fit more precisely within PEPFAR Mozambique's assistance strategy. -------------- WEAK CIVIL SOCIETY AND NGOS -------------- ¶3. The weak state of civil society in Mozambique reduces local implementing capacity. For example, only one local NGO is currently funded as a Prime Partner. Despite concerted efforts towards building local organizational capacity, most Mozambican NGOs, including potential Small Grants recipients, are too undeveloped to qualify or participate in capacity building programs. As a result, although past PEPFAR SGP recipients have received funding for delivery of much needed HIV/AIDS-related services, additional technical assistance was needed to help them build capacity within their organizations. The PEPFAR Mozambique Team sees these small organizations as key members of civil society and a crucial component of a nascent multi-sectoral, indigenous HIV response. We are thus putting a new emphasis on providing the training necessary for small grants recipients to begin their own institutional growth process. -------------- PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS KEY -------------- ¶4. Post has initiated a new program whereby all future small grant recipients will receive a package of assistance/services tailored to their individual needs to include financial management, grants writing, monitoring and evaluation, administrative and operational management, and technical assistance to improve program content. Utilization of Peace Corps Volunteers is the first step in this process. When selecting new proposals, wherever possible we will pair the organization with a Peace Corp Volunteer. Volunteers will receive training and guidance from other PEPFAR agencies in core competencies such as proposal and grant writing and program monitoring and evaluation. In addition, a concerted effort will be made to pair each organization with a PEPFAR Prime Partner that is already working in that geographical location. By sharing their knowledge and experience with the MAPUTO 00001064 002 OF 002 small grantee, the Prime Partners can provide invaluable assistance to the local organizations and help them to attain sustainability. Lastly, we are actively seeking Public-Private partnerships in Mozambique with the potential to lend support to these grant recipients. By pairing our new grantees with local banks and businesses, we hope to provide them with much needed financial management assistance. -------------- COMMENT: CAPACITY-BUILDING IS KEY -------------- ¶5. The future of PEPFAR in Mozambique will be measured by our ability to build capacity and sustainability of local organizations. These new approaches will help Post fulfill PEPFAR II's goal of fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Mozambique through field-driven approaches that strengthen country capacity and nurture small local organizations into mature civil society institutions. ROTH