Rules governing Internal Appeal Mechanism

Introduction

At its Fourth Board Meeting, the Global Fund Board decided to establish an Appeal Mechanism for applicants whose proposals were not approved for funding by the Board after review for technical merit (‘Appeal Mechanism’). This Appeal Mechanism was designed to provide an opportunity for applicants to have their proposal reconsidered at the international level, this right of reconsideration being the sole recourse available. At its Fourteenth Board Meeting, the Board decided to extend the availability of an appeal option to applicants not approved for funding by the Board under the Rolling Continuation Channel.

Who may appeal?

Grounds for an Internal Appeal

The only grounds for an Appeal are that the Technical Review Panel (TRP) made a significant and obvious error regarding the information contained in the proposal not approved for funding. Examples of significant and obvious errors that have previously given rise to a successful appeal can be found by reviewing the prior reports of the independent Appeal Panel available on the Global Fund’s website at: Appeals in Previous Rounds.

Applicants must demonstrate this error based on the proposal that was reviewed by the TRP, and no new information or new justification may be introduced in an Appeal.

Time limit to file an Appeal?

Applicants who wish to appeal a decision of the Board not to fund a proposal must submit a notice of appeal (‘Appeal Form’) not later than 28 days from the date on which the applicant received written notice of the decision which is the subject of the Appeal. The Secretariat will send an Appeal Form to all relevant applicants.

Appeal review and Board decision making process

The Appeal procedure comprises two stages:

1. an independent Appeal Panel assesses the merits of the Appeal and makes a recommendation to the Global Fund Board; and
2. the Global Fund Board makes a decision on the appeal.

Typically, the Appeal Panel must consider all eligible Appeals:

5 What is the membership of the independent Appeal Panel?

The Appeal Panel is comprised of five experts as follows:

1. an expert nominated by each of the Stop TB Partnership, Roll Back Malaria Partnership and UNAIDS, in close collaboration with WHO’s tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, and malaria departments; and
2. two current TRP members provided that neither expert was the primary or secondary reviewer of the specific proposal under review by the Appeal Panel.

6 Obtaining more detailed information on Appeals