TERG: Thematic Evaluation of the Global Fund’s Performance in Challenging Operating Environments (COE)
16 December 2022
The Technical Evaluation Reference Group (TERG), upon request by the Global Fund's Strategy Committee, undertook an evaluation of the Global Fund’s implementation of its Challenging Operating Environments (COE) Policy, which was approved by the Board in 2016 and came into effect in 2017. This evaluation assessed whether adjustments are needed as the Global Fund prepares for the next grant cycle (Grant Cycle 7) and implementation of the 2023-2028 Strategy.
Objectives of the Evaluation:
- To evaluate how the COE policy has been put into operation across the Global Fund COE portfolio, and assess how the COE policy contributes to enhancing or impeding the Global Fund strategic and disease priorities with a view to ascertaining how policy, processes and practice could be improved.
- To assess implementation of the COE policy against the three principles governing Global Fund investments in COEs: flexibility, partnerships, and innovation.
- To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of grant implementation in the COE portfolio and to articulate initiatives in reprogramming.
- To evaluate program performance in the COE portfolio and risk assessment for Global Fund investments in a COE context.
- To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the COE portfolio and COE policy implementation, including program adaptability of the three diseases to COVID-19 for lessons learnt to inform pandemic preparedness and response in a COE context.
- To identify key lessons from implementation of the COE Policy and provide recommendations to improve the Global Fund’s investment in COEs, through better grant design and implementation, any policy changes, and to inform the new Global Fund strategy implementation.
The conclusions and recommendations can be read in the report below:
- Thematic Evaluation of the Global Fund’s Performance in Challenging Operating Environments (COE)