Aidspan - independent watchdog of the Global Fund and publisher of Global Fund Observer
Aidspan is a non-governmental Kenya-based organization whose mission is to reinforce the effectiveness of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Aidspan does so by serving as an independent watchdog of the Fund, and by providing services that can benefit all countries wishing to obtain and make effective use of Global Fund financing. Aidspan finances its work primarily through grants from foundations. Aidspan does not accept Global Fund money, perform paid consulting work, or charge for any of its products.
Aidspan provides the following services:
1. Watchdog services
- Watch for and constructively comment on ways in which the Global Fund's leadership, Secretariat or grant recipients may not be living up to the Fund's founding principles.
- Communicate findings publicly (via Global Fund Observer) or privately, as appropriate.
2. Publication services
- Global Fund Observer (GFO), a free email newsletter providing news, analysis and commentary to over 7,000 subscribers in 170 countries.
- Aidspan Guides, a series of free publications providing detailed practical advice to those applying for, overseeing or implementing Global Fund grants.
3. Web services
- The Grant Details, Analysis and Evaluation pages on Aidspan's web site, a comprehensive on-line resource for comparing the performance of Global Fund grants.
- More web services (forthcoming).
4. Facilitation services
- Global Fund Round Tables for global health leaders and advocates (under the direction of a multi-sectoral steering committee).
- More facilitation services (forthcoming).
Aidspan Spotlight
Aidspan's facilitation services are provided in both developing and developed countries. In developing countries, Aidspan works with others to increase the number of viable grant applications that are submitted to the Global Fund, to strengthen the effectiveness of Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs), and to improve the chances that grants are effectively implemented. In developed countries, it works with others to improve the chances that more money will be given to the Global Fund.
Aidspan's Grant Details, Analysis and Evaluation pages show how well each Global Fund grant is performing against its own goals and in relation to other grants. Based on in-depth data automatically downloaded from the Global Fund's website on a regular basis, the system offers both a graphical and a tabular assessment of the performance of each grant.
Global Fund Observer (GFO) is a widely-read, authoritative and free email-based newsletter, produced by Aidspan, that provides an independent platform for news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund to over 7,000 subscribers in 170 countries.
Global AIDS and the Global Fund
Since its inception, the Global Fund has approved 717 grants, of which 442 have been extended to Phase 2 (Years 3 and beyond).
The most recent agreement for a new grant was signed on 16 August 2010, providing an initial amount of $12,331,525 for a project in South Africa.
The most recent agreement to extend a grant beyond its initial 2-year period was signed on 16 August 2010, providing $3,412,811 for a TB project in Multicountry Western Pacific.
Funding has been distributed by disease component and by region as follows:
| Approved funding by disease component | |
|---|---|
| HIV/AIDS | $10.50 billion |
| Malaria | $5.33 billion |
| TB | $3.22 billion |
| HIV/TB | $0.23 billion |
| HSS | $0.09 billion |
| Integrated | $0.00 billion |
| Approved funding by region | |
| East Africa | $4.76 billion |
| West and Central Africa | $3.16 billion |
| Southern Africa | $3.05 billion |
| East Asia and the Pacific | $2.80 billion |
| South Asia | $1.68 billion |
| Eastern Europe and Central Asia | $1.44 billion |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | $1.40 billion |
| North Africa and the Middle East | $1.08 billion |
For details of individual grants, country-by-country information, indications of which grants are ahead of or behind schedule, and more, visit the Grant Details, Analysis and Evaluation pages on this site.
Recent News
A large symposium session on "The Global Fund: Proving Impact, Promoting Rights" leads the line-up of Global Fund-related events at the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) in Vienna, Austria, on 18-23 July 2010.
Organised by International Civil Society Support, the website provides information about advocacy efforts to mobilise resources for the Global Fund in the run-up to the replenishment meeting which will take place on 4-5 October 2010 in New York.
The Office of the Inspector General has commented on the high rejection rate of proposals; the lack of Global Fund presence in-country; the limitations of the screening process; the timing of principal recipient assessments; and the lack of investment in forging and maintaining more effective relations with partners. The OIG also touched on the roles of Country Programs staff and the Technical Review Panel.
Recent News
A large symposium session on "The Global Fund: Proving Impact, Promoting Rights" leads the line-up of Global Fund-related events at the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) in Vienna, Austria, on 18-23 July 2010.
Organised by International Civil Society Support, the website provides information about advocacy efforts to mobilise resources for the Global Fund in the run-up to the replenishment meeting which will take place on 4-5 October 2010 in New York.
The Office of the Inspector General has commented on the high rejection rate of proposals; the lack of Global Fund presence in-country; the limitations of the screening process; the timing of principal recipient assessments; and the lack of investment in forging and maintaining more effective relations with partners. The OIG also touched on the roles of Country Programs staff and the Technical Review Panel.
Recent GFO Highlights
By the end of 2012, the Global Fund's Office of the Inspector General hopes to have completed audits in over half of the 144 countries in which the Fund has grant programmes, seeking to determine whether those grants are operating effectively and achieving the anticipated results. The office also tries to detect actual and potential fraud involving Global Fund money.
"The Global Fund's handling of the Zambia case provides further confirmation of a suspicion that has long been forming in my mind, which is that the Fund is very reluctant to report any news that might worry a donor or that might embarrass the government of a country that receives Global Fund grants. But the issue is bigger than that. The Fund is not only reluctant to report on its few 'tough actions'; it has been reluctant, particularly during the past three years, to take those tough actions in the first place."
"Less than a month ago, Global Fund staff were informed that the Director of Country Programs was leaving. The Fund now needs to find a world-class manager - probably from within the private sector - who specialises in managing billions of dollars worth of contracts with independent contractors/suppliers."
Round 10 is expected to be launched next month, and applicants will likely have only three months to submit their proposals, instead of the usual four months.
It is clear that many CCMs continue to struggle with some of the minimum requirements. The Global Fund should simplify the wording of the requirements, improve its guidance on the topic, and consider making some changes to the substance of the requirements.
Recent GFO Highlights
By the end of 2012, the Global Fund's Office of the Inspector General hopes to have completed audits in over half of the 144 countries in which the Fund has grant programmes, seeking to determine whether those grants are operating effectively and achieving the anticipated results. The office also tries to detect actual and potential fraud involving Global Fund money.
"The Global Fund's handling of the Zambia case provides further confirmation of a suspicion that has long been forming in my mind, which is that the Fund is very reluctant to report any news that might worry a donor or that might embarrass the government of a country that receives Global Fund grants. But the issue is bigger than that. The Fund is not only reluctant to report on its few 'tough actions'; it has been reluctant, particularly during the past three years, to take those tough actions in the first place."
"Less than a month ago, Global Fund staff were informed that the Director of Country Programs was leaving. The Fund now needs to find a world-class manager - probably from within the private sector - who specialises in managing billions of dollars worth of contracts with independent contractors/suppliers."
Round 10 is expected to be launched next month, and applicants will likely have only three months to submit their proposals, instead of the usual four months.
It is clear that many CCMs continue to struggle with some of the minimum requirements. The Global Fund should simplify the wording of the requirements, improve its guidance on the topic, and consider making some changes to the substance of the requirements.
Recent Publications
Description:
The purpose of this Question and Answer document is to provide readers with a basic understanding of the concepts of grant consolidation and the single stream of funding, and of how Global Fund applicants and implementers will be affected. It is meant to complement existing Global Fund documents on the new grant architecture.
This report is currently available in English only. French-, Spanish- and Russian-language versions should be posted by early August.
Download options:
| English |  223KB |
 270KB |
| Français | 187KB |
248KB |
| Español | 223KB |
277KB |
 |
295KB |
311KB |
Description:
The Aidspan Guide to Round 10 Applications to the Global Fund is designed to assist applicants with the process of preparing applications for Round 10.
Volume 1: Getting a Head Start is also available from this page.
Volume 2: The Applications Process and the Proposal Form explains the applications process, describes what is new for Round 10, and provides guidance on how to fill out many of the questions on the Round 10 proposal form. It also includes a number of extracts from proposals that were approved for funding in past rounds. Version A is for single-country applicants. Version B is for multi-country applicants.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: What's New for Round 10?
Chapter 3: General Information on the Round 10 Applications Process
Chapter 4: Guidance on Specific Sections of the Round 10 Proposal Form
Download options:
| A - Single-Country Applicants |
| English | 586KB |
795KB |
| Français | 768KB |
799KB |
| Español | 610KB |
778KB |
|
1.3MB |
1.4MB |
| B - Multi-Country Applicants |
| English | 545KB |
779KB |
| Français | 950KB |
739KB |
| Español | 931KB |
779KB |
|
1.3MB |
1.4MB |
Recent Publications
Description:
The purpose of this Question and Answer document is to provide readers with a basic understanding of the concepts of grant consolidation and the single stream of funding, and of how Global Fund applicants and implementers will be affected. It is meant to complement existing Global Fund documents on the new grant architecture.
This report is currently available in English only. French-, Spanish- and Russian-language versions should be posted by early August.
Download options:
| English | 223KB |
270KB |
| Français | 187KB |
248KB |
| Español | 223KB |
277KB |
|
295KB |
311KB |
Description:
The Aidspan Guide to Round 10 Applications to the Global Fund is designed to assist applicants with the process of preparing applications for Round 10.
Volume 1: Getting a Head Start is also available from this page.
Volume 2: The Applications Process and the Proposal Form explains the applications process, describes what is new for Round 10, and provides guidance on how to fill out many of the questions on the Round 10 proposal form. It also includes a number of extracts from proposals that were approved for funding in past rounds. Version A is for single-country applicants. Version B is for multi-country applicants.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: What's New for Round 10?
Chapter 3: General Information on the Round 10 Applications Process
Chapter 4: Guidance on Specific Sections of the Round 10 Proposal Form
Download options:
| A - Single-Country Applicants |
| English | 586KB |
795KB |
| Français | 768KB |
799KB |
| Español | 610KB |
778KB |
|
1.3MB |
1.4MB |
| B - Multi-Country Applicants |
| English | 545KB |
779KB |
| Français | 950KB |
739KB |
| Español | 931KB |
779KB |
|
1.3MB |
1.4MB |