Board Decisions

GF/B23/DP16

Approved by the Board on: 12 May 2011


Interim measure to address challenges experienced by First Learning Wave grants based on National Strategy Applications for Madagascar and Rwanda

  1. The Board:

    i. refers to its decision (GF/B18/DP20) to bring the National Strategy Applications ("NSA") procedure into operation through a phased roll-out beginning with the First Learning Wave ("FLW");

    ii. notes the specific challenges faced by certain FLW grants in relation to NSA funding continuation, particularly relating to the timing of the rounds-based process for proposal review and approval, which has posed planning difficulties and the possible prospect of significant funding gaps;

    iii. underscores the nature of the NSA procedure as a response to country requests for more streamlined funding mechanisms and as an expression of the Global Fund‟s commitment to principles of alignment and harmonization embodied in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action; and

    iv. reiterates the importance of ensuring that future NSA funding opportunities that may be approved by the Board take into account the lessons learned in the FLW.

  2. To provide a long-term solution to the challenges noted above, the Board requests the Policy and Strategy Committee to consider at its meeting in or around October 2011 options, which the Secretariat will develop, for allowing the submission of funding requests through the NSA and Health Systems Funding Platform ("HSFP") modalities in an equitable fashion and at a time suited to country-specific national planning cycles.

  3. Such discussions should be conducted in the context of the work on the new Global Fund Strategy 2012-2016 and, specifically, discussions to occur as part of this strategy on the future of Global Fund funding modalities and harmonization between them (including the rounds-based modality, NSAs, and the HSFP, in the context of the Global Fund‟s new architecture).

  4. In addition, as an interim and exceptional measure to address the specific challenges faced for the NSA FLW grants for Madagascar (malaria) and Rwanda (HIV and tuberculosis) in having timely and uninterrupted access to funding in a way that does not prejudge future Board decisions on funding modalities, and provided the country in question has not submitted a proposal to address the same disease component through Round 11, the Board decides as follows:

    i. To allow the Country Coordinating Mechanism of each of Madagascar and Rwanda to seek an extension with bridge funding ("FLW extension funding") under the stipulations included in the Annex to this decision point, for a time-limited period such that the length of this extension period will not cause the combined lifespan of the original grant and the extension period to exceed five years, to provide continuity of funding until either:

    a. Round 12, or

    b. the next NSA funding opportunity made available to those countries by the Board, whether concurrent with Round 12 or not.

  5. To determine, no later than December 2011, in the context of its discussions on the future of Global Fund funding modalities, whether it will offer an NSA funding opportunity of the type described under 4 i.(b) above.

  6. To authorize the Secretariat to make limited exceptions to existing policies and procedures to the extent necessary to implement this decision and within the parameters described in the Annex to this decision point.
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Annex to GF/B23/DP16

  1. The FLW extension funding in each case will have "Additional Commitments" priority, and the associated funds will be taken from those already included for the FLW grants of Madagascar and Rwanda in the forecast of Additional Commitments as described in Annex 2 of the "Report of the Policy and Strategy Committee‟ GF/B23/4.

  2. The maximum total duration of the FLW extension funding in each case will be limited to the duration already forecast for the "Additional Commitments" funds as described in Table 1 of Annex 3 of the "Report of the Policy and Strategy Committee‟ GF/B23/4.

  3. The maximum FLW extension funding amount will not be higher than the maximum annual extension amount, as per Table 1 of Annex 3 of the "Report of the Policy and Strategy Committee‟ GF/B23/4 multiplied by the duration of the extension measured in years.

  4. The FLW extension funding will be subject to TRP review and Board approval.

  5. The procedure to provide FLW extension funding will be as described in Annex 3 of the "Report of the Policy and Strategy Committee‟ GF/B23/4.
     
  6. All Global Fund policies and procedures, including rules relating to eligibility and cost-sharing, will apply to the FLW extension funding except as otherwise provided herein. The limited exceptions to existing policies and procedures granted in this decision in order to implement it include the timing and format of submission, and the TRP review procedure. Any exceptions needed beyond these will be notified to the Board for its consideration and approval.

Budgetary Implications

This decision does not have material budgetary implications for the 2011 Operating Expenses Budget.