Grants Solicitation and Management

Partnering with USAID for success in Grants Solicitation and Management (GSM) in Health Programming

The GSM streamlines the health grants process. It lightens the burden on USAID by assuming full responsibility for grant solicitation, review, award, management, monitoring and close-out phases, or by partnering with USAID Missions on any aspect of the grant-making process. The GSM can also provide customized technical assistance to grantees.

The GSM will be responsible for many other aspects of the grants management process, including eligibility assessments, grantee capacity concerns, and compliance issues. It is implemented by World Learning located in Washington, DC.

Through USAID's partnership with World Learning, the grant administration process is more efficient, affordable, and flexible. World Learning is an experienced USAID partner in the efficient management of grants. With over two decades of extensive worldwide grants management experience, World Learning has developed the most effective grants management systems and tools available.

USAID Missions and the GSM

USAID Missions from around the world may add funds to the GSM Agreement for specific grant activities in their countries. The GSM Cooperative Agreement is a Leader with Associates Award. Missions can add funds to the main leader award, or create their own "Associate Award" in which case the mission retains the Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) and Agreement Officer responsibilities.

The goal of the Grants Solicitation and Management (GSM) program is to provide health grants management services to USAID's Bureau of Global Health and USAID Missions around the world. Grant programs will target PVOs and NGOs and their partners.

Under this flexible grant-making mechanism, USAID Missions will be able to customize their partnership with World Learning based on the needs and desires of the Missions. In designing the partnership, USAID Missions may decide which of the services they would like World Learning to perform on their behalf and what levels of responsibilities per service will be assigned to World Learning.

Benefits to USAID

  • Streamlined grant solicitation and management process
  • Reduced administrative/management burdens
  • Involvement in application reviews and grantee selection as desired
  • Optional capacity-building technical assistance for grantee organizations
  • Delegated monitoring of grantee compliance and reporting
  • Flexible levels of grant/grantee supervision
  • Cost-effective and comprehensive support

Benefits to Grantees

  • Expedient fund-advance/cash-flow process
  • Technical support on compliance with USAID and US Government regulations
  • Organizational capacity-building services
  • Quality grant monitoring services

Value

The costs of administration and management will be kept at a reasonably small percentage of the entire grant program budget. This may vary in some cases, depending on the size of grant and management capacity of the grantee. Ensuring that World Learning provides the best value to USAID is one of World Learning's core priorities.

USAID's Responsibilities

Primary:

  • Prepare the parameters of each solicitation
  • Approve the solicitation package
  • Approve all sub-grants

Optional:

  • Write the program description and selection criteria
  • Review applications and select grantees
  • Provide program/technical supervision
  • Others depending upon the grant programs and the desires of USAID

World Learning's Responsibilities

Optional Services:

  • Prepare solicitation materials
  • Advertise/outreach to potential applicants
  • Receive/process/screen applications
  • Coordinate review/ranking committees
  • Assess capacity of applicants/grantees
  • Issue/manage/monitor grant awards and perform close out
  • Provide customized technical assistance, grantee site visits and compliance monitoring/reporting

Technical Assistance to Grantees

All GSM grantees receive essential technical assistance to ensure proper funds-management and reporting. However, if desired by USAID, World Learning can deliver additional technical assistance tailored to supporting more or longer-term grantee development. The cost for this additional support can be added to the grantee budget and covered by the USAID/Mission or funding entity.

Achievements of GSM

  • Now managing grants to US PVOs and local NGOs on behalf of USAID DC and USAID Missions in Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, India, Kosovo, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Uganda, and Zambia.
  • Providing trainings, workshops, and direct technical assistance to NGOs on capacity building topics including:
    • Technical and financial training in grants management
    • Administrative/Finance Capacity Building Assessments
    • Performance Monitoring Plans
    • Contracting for organization-wide external audits
  • GSM developed elaborated tools and procedures for effective management of grants, including a grants management database.

Contacts

USAID
Victoria Graham, Senior Technical Advisor
USAID/GH/PRH/SDI
Tel: 202.712.0041
Email: vgraham@usaid.gov

World Learning
William G. Saur, Program Director
Tel: 202.408.5420 ext. 6182
Email: bill.saur@worldlearning.org

 

Related Links - Right Column - 0 1289

Featured Project - Right Column - 2 1288