Coalition Strategies for Achieving Financial Sustainability

1. Coalition Strategies for Achieving Financial Sustainability John P. Skibiak, Director, Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, Brussels, Belgium Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

2. Financial Environment • Core Secretariat costs are covered by a three year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Coalition activities, outputs, many Working Group workstreams are covered directly by members • Many workstreams, actual and potential, are hindered by the lack of funding Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

3. Critical Questions • What can we learn from other health partnerships (HPs) in achieving financial sustainability? • What strategies should be adopted to ensure medium- to long-term funding of the Secretariat? • Are there key Coalition activities that would enhance Secretariat’s attractiveness to potential donors? • Is there demand for or value in establishing a Coalition-managed fund to finance new strategic opportunities? Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

4. Learning from others • All HPs are different, with financial mechanisms tailored to their circumstances. Their experience cannot be taken as a blueprint for the Coalition • Mushrooming of HPs is leading to donor fatigue. • Donors are demanding measurable results, evidence of efficiency, and clarity of purpose. • Donors are demanding evidence of added value. • Many partnerships have forged strong connections with the national governments that are ultimately responsible for health services, including RH supplies Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

5. Agreed upon principles • Keep the Secretariat lean and mean • Engage developing countries in Coalition activities and decisions • Seek collaboration and exploit synergies with other global HP • Heighten visibility of the Coalition • Sharpen the focus of the Coalition based on its convening and advocacy functions and ensure that its Strategic Plan is closely aligned with its added value Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

6. Agreed upon principles • Financing strategy should seek out a “focused” diversity in funding sources • Core support is critical to maintain the Coalition’s strategic focus • Flexibility is critical to meet donor diversity • Establish a pool of resources that would facilitate the identification and implementation of innovative ideas and activities not funded by other means Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

7. Conclusions, next steps • The timing of our current donor support demands a two-pronged approach, one addressing immediate financing needs; the other looking at broader issues that may enhance longer-term sustainability • By end of summer, Secretariat to prepare a single, project paper for submission to key donors • Incorporate feedback into proposals that meet donor requirements - by year end… if not before • Seek out opportunities for financing of workstreams, together with, or separate from Secretariat support Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting

8. Working Group input • Where do funding gaps exist? • What activities would you undertake if funding were available? • How could Working Group members enhance the sustainability of the workstreams in which they are involved? Brussels, Ninth Coalition Membership Meeting