GF/B22/DP04
Approved by the Board on: 15 December 2010
Implementing the new grant architecture for health systems strengthening activities
To provide for a technical change in grant application and management policy so as to align Global Fund funding for crosscutting health systems strengthening actions (HSS) with the Global Fund new architecture as approved by the Board at the Twentieth Board Meeting (GF/B20/DP31), the Board decides as follows:
1. Individual proposals requesting Global Fund funding can address one of the following three components: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, or malaria, as well as requests to support related cross-cutting health systems strengthening (focusing on system-wide approaches and actions that significantly benefit more than one of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria components) ("cross-cutting HSS component").
2. The Board reiterates that applicants are encouraged, wherever possible, to integrate requests for funding for HSS actions within the relevant disease component(s). Such HSS actions will be assessed by the Technical Review Panel (TRP) as part of its review of that disease component. The Board clarifies that the crosscutting HSS component is for those activities that inherently are more appropriately addressed in a crosscutting or cross-disease manner. When requesting funding for such crosscutting HSS actions applicants are still required to articulate how they address identified health systems constraints to the achievement of improved outcomes in reducing the burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
3. The Board requests the Secretariat to measure, monitor and report - as part of the Key Performance Indicators related to funding for HSS - to the Policy and Strategy Committee (PSC) on funding provided for cross-cutting health systems strengthening proposals.
4. The Board requests the joint Portfolio and Implementation Committee and PSC Eligibility, Cost Sharing and Prioritization Working Group to develop specific criteria for cross-cutting HSS applications as part of the eligibility and prioritization scheme to be approved by the Board in time for the launch of the Round 11 call for proposals.
5. Board policies and decisions that apply to proposals and grants for all three diseases shall apply equally to proposals and grants for the crosscutting HSS component. The Board decision titled "Architecture Review - Transition Provisions" (GF/B20/DP31) shall apply to proposals and grants for the cross-cutting HSS component subject to the amendments outlined in Annex 2 to the PSC's report to the Twenty-Second Board (GF/B22/4).
6. The aspects in the Board decision on Strategic Approach to Health Systems Strengthening (GF/B16/DP10) that relate to funding requests for "cross-cutting HSS actions" (in particular paragraphs 3 and 4) and/or are inconsistent with this decision are revoked
7. This decision does not change the existing scope of Global Fund support to crosscutting HSS activities or create a new funding window for these HSS activities.