GLOBAL FUND RELEASES REPORTS ON FBOS, OPERATIONAL RESEARCH, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Author:

Bernard Rivers

Article Type:

Article Number: 4

ABSTRACT The Fund has released reports on participation by faith-based organizations (FBOs), on operational research, and on involvement by the private sector.

The Fund has released reports on participation by faith-based organizations (FBOs), on operational research, and on involvement by the private sector. Brief summaries are as follows:

Report on participation of FBOs

The Global Fund’s FBO report shows that FBOs administer grants in many countries and play a significant role in the governance of Global Fund programs through their involvement on CCMs. The undated report, which is entitled ”Report on the Involvement of Faith-Based Organizations in the Global Fund,” is available (in English only) at www.theglobalfund.org/documents/publications/other/FBOReport/GlobalFund_FBO_Report_en.pdf.

The report says that over three-quarters of CCMs had at least one faith-based representative. There is a section in the report on actions taken by the Global Fund to enhance the participation of FBOs in CCMs.

The report says that in 2006 alone, nine FBOs received funds as PRs and an additional 488 acted as SRs. The report describes the experiences of several FBOs that served as PRs and SRs. Finally, the report contains information on how much money has flowed from the Global Fund to FBOs. An appendix to the report contains a list of every FBO PR and SR that obtained funding in 2006, including the amount of money each received.

Report on Operational Research

Operational research involves gathering and analyzing data on how well programmes have been performing. It helps to identify solutions to problems that limit programme quality, efficiency and effectiveness, and to determine which alternative service delivery strategy would yield the best outcomes.

Many Global Fund applicants do not realise that the Fund is prepared to support operational research. (They probably think this way because the Fund does NOT support basic or clinical science research.) As a result, very few proposals have included activities related to operational research. This is unfortunate, because operational research is a very useful tool for fine-tuning programmes and improving their performance.

In conjunction with WHO, the Global Fund has tried to increase knowledge of operational research by releasing a report entitled “Guide to Operational Research in Programs Supported by the Global Fund.” This short, undated report is available (in English and Spanish) at www.theglobalfund.org/documents/publications/brochures/operationalresearch/OperationalResearch_en.pdf.

The report is basically a primer on operational research. It provides examples of operational research activities from previously approved proposals, complete with links to the texts of the proposals. It also describes how to do operational research, and includes practical examples.

Report on Involvement of the Private Sector

“The Role of the Private Sector in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: Opportunities, Achievements and Challenges in West and Central Africa,” a 36-page, undated report is available (in English only) at www.theglobalfund.org/documents/privatesector/WestAndCentralAfrica.pdf. (Warning: large file).

The report explains how private sector firms can be more involved in the Global Fund. It does so partially through the use of best practice examples on how private sector entities have contributed to proposal writing, served as SRs, participated on CCMs, provided technical support to projects, and made pro bono donations.

The report examines the strengths and weaknesses of public-private partnerships (PPPs). As well, the report contains the findings from a workshop on PPPs conducted in West and Central Africa. Finally, the report presents some ideas for how the private sector can become even more involved in the future.