"The Aidspan Guide to Round 5 Applications to the Global Fund" has just been published. It is accessible at no charge at www.aidspan.org/guides, where three previous Aidspan Guides are already available.

The 83-page Guide discusses factors that lie behind some of the questions asked in the Round 5 proposal form, and distils conclusions that can be drawn from a detailed analysis of the successful proposals that were submitted to the Global Fund in Rounds 3 and 4.

The Guide is not intended to tell readers what they "should say" in their applications to the Fund. The objective instead is to de-mystify the application process and to provide a clearer feeling of what is expected. It is based on the premise that there is no single "correct" way of completing the proposal form. It encourages applicants to clearly describe their plans to tackle HIV, TB, or malaria; and to make a convincing case that the plans are viable, capable of delivering the anticipated results, and something that the applicants are committed to and capable of implementing.

The main sections in the Guide are as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction and Background

• Overview of the Global Fund
• Who is Eligible?
• Description of the Applications Process and the Steps Following Grant Approval
• Some Key Concepts to be Used in all Proposals
• Some Warnings

• Deciding Whether to Apply
• Designing a Process for the Period Before Starting to Fill Out the Proposal Form
• Determining How CCMs Can Make the Best Use of the Private Sector
• Determining How CCMs Can Make the Best Use of NGOs
• Deciding Whether to Consider Submitting a Non-CCM Proposal
• Deciding Whether to Consider a Regional Proposal
• Deciding Whether to Consider a Sub-National CCM Proposal

• Strengths [See next article]
• Weaknesses [See next article]

• Importance of the Round 5 Guidelines for Proposals
• Guidance on Use of the Different Formats of the Proposal Form
• General Guidance on the Proposal Form
• Guidance on Specific Sections of the Proposal Form