VZCZCXRO6004
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #1064/01 2711417
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281417Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0790
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 001064 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO OGAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID KHIV SOCI MZ
SUBJECT: A MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH TO BUILDING CAPACITY 
THROUGH PEPFAR SMALL GRANTS 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: In response to the new objectives of PEPFAR II, 
and as a result of an internal review of Post's Small Grants 
Program (SGP) selection process, Post is initiating new 
procedures for selecting, assisting and overseeing its PEPFAR 
Quick Impact grant recipients.   A multi-agency approach is 
being used to ensure selection of grant recipients that fit 
more closely within the overall portfolio of the Mozambique 
PEPFAR program.  Moreover, a new emphasis will be placed on 
involving Peace Corps Volunteers, Prime Partners and 
Public-Private partnerships to nurture small grantees in 
order to meet the PEPFAR II goals of building local capacity 
and sustainability.  These new approaches will help Post 
fulfill PEPFAR II's goal of fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 
Mozambique through field-driven approaches that strengthen 
country capacity and nurture small local organizations into 
mature civil society institutions.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
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THE MORE, THE MERRIER 
--------------------- 
 
¶2.  The PEPFAR reauthorization bill highlights the continued 
need for partnerships with an emphasis on mentorship, 
employing a conscious strategy of shifting to an indigenous 
response.  Post's Small Grants Program (SGP) in the 
Political/Economic section previously had been solely 
responsible for the advertising, evaluation, and selection of 
its PEPFAR Small Grant recipients.  In response to OGAC 
concerns about the lack of integration of the SGP into the 
larger PEPFAR portfolio, the SGP is initiating a new 
multi-agency approach for the selection of its small grant 
recipients.  This approach involves the assistance of USAID, 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the 
Peace Corps.  Henceforth, grant proposals will first be 
circulated to the inter-agency technical working groups for 
Prevention, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), and System 
Strengthening.  Each technical working group will review the 
proposals and evaluate them based on criteria, including the 
type of assistance to be provided, the geographical location 
of the project and synergies with the overall PEPFAR 
Mozambique portfolio.  The selected proposals from the 
technical working groups will then be sent to the 
inter-agency steering committee for the final selection. 
Although this procedure is more time consuming, it results in 
the selection of small grant recipients that fit more 
precisely within PEPFAR Mozambique's assistance strategy. 
 
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WEAK CIVIL SOCIETY AND NGOS 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3.  The weak state of civil society in Mozambique reduces 
local implementing capacity.  For example, only one local NGO 
is currently funded as a Prime Partner.  Despite concerted 
efforts towards building local organizational capacity, most 
Mozambican NGOs, including potential Small Grants recipients, 
are too undeveloped to qualify or participate in capacity 
building programs.  As a result, although past PEPFAR SGP 
recipients have received funding for delivery of much needed 
HIV/AIDS-related services, additional technical assistance 
was needed to help them build capacity within their 
organizations.  The PEPFAR Mozambique Team sees these small 
organizations as key members of civil society and a crucial 
component of a nascent multi-sectoral, indigenous HIV 
response.  We are thus putting a new emphasis on providing 
the training necessary for small grants recipients to begin 
their own institutional growth process. 
 
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PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS KEY 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Post has initiated a new program whereby all future small 
grant recipients will receive a package of 
assistance/services tailored to their individual needs to 
include financial management, grants writing, monitoring and 
evaluation, administrative and operational management, and 
technical assistance to improve program content.  Utilization 
of Peace Corps Volunteers is the first step in this process. 
When selecting new proposals, wherever possible we will pair 
the organization with a Peace Corp Volunteer.  Volunteers 
will receive training and guidance from other PEPFAR agencies 
in core competencies such as proposal and grant writing and 
program monitoring and evaluation.  In addition, a concerted 
effort will be made to pair each organization with a PEPFAR 
Prime Partner that is already working in that geographical 
location.  By sharing their knowledge and experience with the 
 
MAPUTO 00001064  002 OF 002 
 
 
small grantee, the Prime Partners can provide invaluable 
assistance to the local organizations and help them to attain 
sustainability.  Lastly, we are actively seeking 
Public-Private partnerships in Mozambique with the potential 
to lend support to these grant recipients.  By pairing our 
new grantees with local banks and businesses, we hope to 
provide them with much needed financial management 
assistance. 
 
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COMMENT: CAPACITY-BUILDING IS KEY 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. The future of PEPFAR in Mozambique will be measured by our 
ability to build capacity and sustainability of local 
organizations.  These new approaches will help Post fulfill 
PEPFAR II's goal of fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 
Mozambique through field-driven approaches that strengthen 
country capacity and nurture small local organizations into 
mature civil society institutions. 
ROTH