Grant Architecture
In November of 2009, The Global Fund Board approved a new grant architecture. This new grant architecture brings important changes to the organization’s operating model, including how countries apply for funding, how financing is structured, how performance management is conducted and how decisions about future funding are made.
The core feature of the new Global Fund grant architecture is the “Single Stream of Funding per Principal Recipient per disease or cross-cutting health systems strengthening program” or “SSF”. Under this system the Global Fund will maintain one funding agreement for each Principal Recipient per component, which will then be amended each time additional funding in the same component is approved and at the time of Periodic Review. Single Streams of Funding have fixed Periodic Review and financial commitment cycles of up to three years, called Implementation Periods, with the opportunity to add new funding to the single stream with each successful Round.
The new grant architecture puts the Global Fund in a better position to support a national program approach, allowing for improved alignment with national cycles and systems. Through streamlining grants and transitioning to a more programmatic approach to funding, the new grant architecture will also lead to reduced transaction costs for implementers and better enable Country Coordinating Mechanisms to provide effective oversight.
Implementation of the changes to our current model is underway. At present the Global Fund Secretariat is transitioning countries to Single Streams of Funding on an optional basis through grant signings or at the time of Phase 2. Starting with Round 11, applicants will be required to submit a consolidated proposal, which will serve the basis moving forward for creating and maintaining SSFs. Additionally, the Global Fund Secretariat is focusing on communications and outreach to implementing countries, technical partners and other key stakeholders regarding consolidated proposals in Round 11 as well as the new Periodic Review policies and procedures.
More information is available on:
For any questions or further information on the new grant architecture, please contact the Architecture Implementation Project Management Team at