Grants Management
Pact is a good steward of donor funding with over 36 years of grants management experience stemming from its original role as the grants administration arm of the United States Agency for International Development Office of Private Voluntary Cooperation. Pact Tanzania has managed grant funds for U.S. Agency for International Development, the Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation. From 2002 through 2008, Pact Tanzania managed more than $24 million in subgrants with awards ranging from as little as $1,000 to as much as $2,000,000.
Our partnering and grants management principles
Pact's shared values in partnering include active target audience and stakeholder (including national and local governmental bodies) involvement, building capacity at the grassroots level, strengthening community-based networks, and adding to the body of knowledge on effective responses through continuous learning and ensuring a results-oriented focus.
Open and transparent competitive award process
If the program design requires competitive grant awards, Pact's competitive awards process contains the following elements.
The posting of a request for application (RFA) in the media, on our website and/or solicited by fax or through a lead local NGO. The themes or focus of the RFA are determined in collaboration with the donor/s and stakeholders, including beneficiaries.
A requirement that applicants map anticipated program results against the donor's goals and objectives.
A requirement that reviewers of applications sign "conflict-of-interest" statements.
A system of providing debriefing for unsuccessful applicants geared towards improving the applicants' likelihood of success in a future competition round.
Technical review, evaluation and grant selection
Pact generally uses a two-tiered process that begins with a request for an executive summary application or an expression of interest. Submissions are reviewed by a technical review panel, which selects the finalists and invites them to submit a full technical application. A second expert technical panel is convened to select the final grant award winners. Local NGO applicants not selected can request a debriefing in order to obtain information on the strengths/weaknesses of their application.
Pre-award and capacity building needs assessment
After grant winners are selected Pact or the local partner NGO conducts a pre-award assessment for grant worthiness. Grant worthiness indicates sufficient technical, managerial and financial capacity to carry out program objectives and achieve stated results. Grantees are assigned a "risk" level that determines the level of capacity building assistance required for them to comply with donor regulations, policies and procedures. Capacity building is tailored to each grantee depending upon the organization's needs for technical, managerial or financial skills development training.
Grants monitoring and peer partnerships
The management of sub-grants is done by programme teams who ensure that activities implemented are according to agreed upon work plans, budgets and monitoring plans focusing on results. Pact has a grants management unit of six professionals who work collaboratively with our training and programme units to ensure partners (sub-grantees) use funds according to donor and Pact regulations and based on the work plans. The Sub-grant management teams also provide training and mentoring support with regard to financial management. Pact has developed an assessment tool which evaluates the partner’s capacity to manage funds and identified weaknesses that can be addressed through training and mentoring support. Depending on the partners’ strengths, Pact Tanzania administers different types of sub-grant awards that reduce risks associated with the award. Pact provides standard grant awards to strong organisations, in kind grants for procurement to those CSOs unable to adequately manage funds and Fixed Obligation Grants where the money awarded is based on performance and the completion of activity milestones. One of the key principles of the Pact’s program is that capacity building is an inherent part of the grant-making process and not a separate set of activities. All grantees, whether individuals or organizations will receive some sort of capacity building in order to improve their skills and impact.
Pact works together with grantees on a peer partnership basis. Grantee performance is monitored through annual work plans and periodic financial and program reporting. Periodic visits to grantees provide additional opportunities for on-the-job training.
Two significant global grants management programs administered by Pact Tanzania are the Jali Watoto Initiative and the Global Fund OVC program. These are designed as rapid response mechanism to provide grants to NGOs working in providing support to orphans and most vulnerable children. The majority of Pact Tanzania’s subgrants are managed under these two programs.
