Volume 2 of the "The Aidspan Guide to Understanding Global Fund Processes for Grant Implementation" has just been published. It covers the period from first disbursement to Phase 2 Renewal. It is accessible at no charge at www.aidspan.org/guides, where various other Aidspan Guides are also available. Versions of Volume 2 in French and Spanish will be posted early in 2008. Aidspan is the publisher of GFO.

(Volume 1, published in December 2005, covers the period from the signing of the Grant Agreement to first disbursement. Volume 1 was originally published under the title "The Aidspan Guide to Effective Implementation of Global Fund Grants.")

"The Aidspan

Guide to Understanding Global Fund Processes for Grant Implementation" is designed to help grant recipients understand the Global Fund processes involved in implementing a newly approved grant, and deal with problems that may arise during implementation. It focuses on the interactions between the Principal Recipient (PR) and other stakeholders, particularly the Global Fund and the Local Fund Agent (LFA). The guide does not attempt to provide advice concerning the implementation of actual activities in Global Fund-financed projects.

The 50-page guide has been written primarily for CCMs and PRs, the major actors involved in the implementation process. A secondary target audience for this guide is Sub-Recipients (SRs).

The main sections of Volume 2 are as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction and Background

• Overview of the Global Fund
• Structure of the Global Fund
• Summary of the Key Information Included in the Grant Agreement

• The Progress Update/Disbursement Request
• PSM Reporting Requirements
• Annual Reports
• Ensuring that the Performance Framework Document is Current
• Role of the CCM
• Grant Performance Report
• Factors That Can Delay Disbursements

• Annual Financial Statements
• Annual Audit
• The Process After the Audit is Completed

• Amendments to the Grant Agreement
• The Use of Implementation Letters
• Amendments to the PR's Budget, Workplan, PSM Plan and M&E Plan

• Role of the Global Fund
• Sources of TS

• Overview of the Process and Timelines
• Roles of the CCM and the PR
• Key Success Factors
• CCM Request for Continued Funding: What the Global Fund Requires
• Role of the LFA
• Review of the CCM Request for Continued Funding
• Decision Whether to Continue Funding
• The Grant Extension Process