australia africa community engagement scheme

1. AUSTRALIA AFRICA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SCHEME BRIEFING FOR AUSTRALIAN NGOs 4 JUNE 2010

2. A Mid-term evaluation was held in July 2009. It found that: The ANGOs were able to work with their local partners to achieve significant outcomes including: Strengthening engagement between civil society and government, particularly at the lower levels. Increasing the reach of government and donor services to some of the most vulnerable groups in society. Achieving direct progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Areas where the program could have been improved: e.g. providing more support to implementing partners to have a proactive focus on gender equality to strengthen performance assessment to consider broader implications and opportunities for policy dialogue). The review found that the future program will require the nature of the AusAID–ANGO “partnership” be clarified. If AusAID and the ANGOs can forge a more robust partnership, based on agreed objectives and approaches, APAC can support learning, policy engagement and advocacy at a level beyond a suite of projects. To achieve this requires increased AusAID staffing, resources and intellectual engagement. Despite being called a “program”, APAC has to date operated more as a facility supporting a collection of individual ANGO programs. APAC was AusAID’s first Cooperation Agreement with ANGOs, and one of its early attempts to change the nature of its relationship with ANGOs from one of purchaser and service provider, to more of a “partnership”. However, there was limited clarity about the type and nature of that partnership resulting in different expectations of roles, particularly around AusAID’s level of monitoring of the ANGO programs. AusAID now has more experience with partnerships and is continuing to evolve its thinking.A Mid-term evaluation was held in July 2009. It found that: The ANGOs were able to work with their local partners to achieve significant outcomes including: Strengthening engagement between civil society and government, particularly at the lower levels. Increasing the reach of government and donor services to some of the most vulnerable groups in society. Achieving direct progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Areas where the program could have been improved: e.g. providing more support to implementing partners to have a proactive focus on gender equality to strengthen performance assessment to consider broader implications and opportunities for policy dialogue). The review found that the future program will require the nature of the AusAID–ANGO “partnership” be clarified. If AusAID and the ANGOs can forge a more robust partnership, based on agreed objectives and approaches, APAC can support learning, policy engagement and advocacy at a level beyond a suite of projects. To achieve this requires increased AusAID staffing, resources and intellectual engagement. Despite being called a “program”, APAC has to date operated more as a facility supporting a collection of individual ANGO programs. APAC was AusAID’s first Cooperation Agreement with ANGOs, and one of its early attempts to change the nature of its relationship with ANGOs from one of purchaser and service provider, to more of a “partnership”. However, there was limited clarity about the type and nature of that partnership resulting in different expectations of roles, particularly around AusAID’s level of monitoring of the ANGO programs. AusAID now has more experience with partnerships and is continuing to evolve its thinking.

3. What’s new? Stronger partnership approach Broader geographic focus Stronger focus on policy discussions Stronger focus on communications Different funding streams Opportunities for non-AACES partners to access elements of the program Geographic focus: While recognising the value of maintaining a focus on Eastern and South Africa and building on existing relations, an expanded funding base provides an opportunity to expand AusAID’s geographic coverage in Central and West Africa. Proposals can focus on one or more geographic regions. AusAID will not be prescriptive in this matter.Geographic focus: While recognising the value of maintaining a focus on Eastern and South Africa and building on existing relations, an expanded funding base provides an opportunity to expand AusAID’s geographic coverage in Central and West Africa. Proposals can focus on one or more geographic regions. AusAID will not be prescriptive in this matter.

4. Objective 1: Increased access to sustainable basic services for poor and marginalised people, and working to uphold the rights of those people to such services This component focuses on service delivery. It is AusAID’s desire to support NGOs programs – to fund you to do what you do best. Programs would be developed for the local situations based on good quality analysis of those situations, rather than simply replicating similar types of activities across multiple locations. Experimentation with innovative approaches and approaches developed from local participation and consultation would be encouraged. In order for access to be sustained, the programs would be expected to build capacity of stakeholders to ensure their ability to meet the ongoing needs of people: CSOs, NGOs and local government. It will include specific strategies to strengthen capacity of partner groups and to build a sustainable approach to change that can continue beyond the life of AACES. The objective would include activities to promote voice for marginalised groups in order that their needs are considered in the development of services, and also in the ways services are delivered. The objective also provides space for research and policy influencing work to be included in order to communicate the needs and issues of poor and marginalised people to wider audiences such as other bilateral and multilateral donors. Small Grants Scheme: There will also be targeted small grants to civil society organisation to support funding of peace-building, inter-faith leadership and good governance activities. The grants will support the work of smaller NGOs, which will not necessarily have to be accredited with AusAID to access these grants. This component focuses on service delivery. It is AusAID’s desire to support NGOs programs – to fund you to do what you do best. Programs would be developed for the local situations based on good quality analysis of those situations, rather than simply replicating similar types of activities across multiple locations. Experimentation with innovative approaches and approaches developed from local participation and consultation would be encouraged. In order for access to be sustained, the programs would be expected to build capacity of stakeholders to ensure their ability to meet the ongoing needs of people: CSOs, NGOs and local government. It will include specific strategies to strengthen capacity of partner groups and to build a sustainable approach to change that can continue beyond the life of AACES. The objective would include activities to promote voice for marginalised groups in order that their needs are considered in the development of services, and also in the ways services are delivered. The objective also provides space for research and policy influencing work to be included in order to communicate the needs and issues of poor and marginalised people to wider audiences such as other bilateral and multilateral donors. Small Grants Scheme: There will also be targeted small grants to civil society organisation to support funding of peace-building, inter-faith leadership and good governance activities. The grants will support the work of smaller NGOs, which will not necessarily have to be accredited with AusAID to access these grants.

5. Objective 2: Increased effectiveness and outcomes for both AusAID and the ANGOs, through increased policy dialogue between ANGO and AusAID programs This component provides an opportunity for greater policy discussion between AusAID and Australian NGOs working in Africa. In recognition that ANGOs are working in a wide variety of contexts in Africa, engagement in this component will be open to NGOs outside of those funded through the ACCES partnerships. AusAID is very open to ideas from NGOs on what activities, processes and themes could be included in this component. Some ideas on themes are listed in the Concept Note. Processes could include: annual sectoral meetings between Posts and AACES implementing partners; meetings with AusAID and NGOs on thematic issues; development of policy briefs. Question: how can we better engage with African NGOs and governments on these issues?This component provides an opportunity for greater policy discussion between AusAID and Australian NGOs working in Africa. In recognition that ANGOs are working in a wide variety of contexts in Africa, engagement in this component will be open to NGOs outside of those funded through the ACCES partnerships. AusAID is very open to ideas from NGOs on what activities, processes and themes could be included in this component. Some ideas on themes are listed in the Concept Note. Processes could include: annual sectoral meetings between Posts and AACES implementing partners; meetings with AusAID and NGOs on thematic issues; development of policy briefs. Question: how can we better engage with African NGOs and governments on these issues?

6. AusAID is very open to ideas from ANGOs on what activities, processes and themes could be included in this component. Individual activities of ANGOs and opportunities for greater coordination, including sponsoring African visitors to Australia. There is also an opportunity for NGOs outside of those funded through the ACCES partnerships to be involved in this program, in particular those working with African diaspora living in Australia. AusAID is very open to ideas from ANGOs on what activities, processes and themes could be included in this component. Individual activities of ANGOs and opportunities for greater coordination, including sponsoring African visitors to Australia. There is also an opportunity for NGOs outside of those funded through the ACCES partnerships to be involved in this program, in particular those working with African diaspora living in Australia.

7. Design Phase Confirm/revise the Objectives Finalise individual ANGO designs Design: the overarching management structure Program-level M&E and risk management objectives two and three Small Grants Scheme Individual Partnership Agreements Confirm roles of AusAID Posts and desk

8. Design Process Initial workshops in Canberra: Partnering approaches Mapping the in-country design process Thematic discussions In-Africa workshops to be agreed Other workshops can be agreed during the design phase Technical assistance available to support the process We will seek input from the selected ANGOs on the topics that could be covered in the workshops: initial ideas include monitoring and evaluation; disability inclusive development; gender equality mainstreaming.We will seek input from the selected ANGOs on the topics that could be covered in the workshops: initial ideas include monitoring and evaluation; disability inclusive development; gender equality mainstreaming.

9. Administrative Arrangements Funding Order with selected NGOs for design phase and transfer of design funds Design phase Peer review of proposals, signing of Funding Orders and Partnership Agreements Implementation phase (5 years)