Educational Training Fund: A Demand-Driven Capacity Strengthening Approach

Christine Mbabazi, Capacity Building AdvisorFHI 360 South Africa Umbrella Grants Management ProgramMarch 21, 2013

Presentation Overview

• FHI 360 Overview• FHI 360-UGM Project• Educational Training Fund (ETF) Definition & Purpose• Methodology• Successes & Achievements• Lessons Learned

FHI 360 Overview

• FHI 360 works across a broad set of disciplines to deliver thoughtful, evidence-based responses to complex, human development needs

• Operates from 60 offices worldwide • Has implemented over 75 programs that use capacity

building as an approach globally.• To date, provided TA to over 9000 NGOs, CSOs, FBOs

and networks in 41 countries.

FHI 360-UGM Project

• Project dates: October 2007 – November 2013• Award ceiling: USD $91 million• 14 partners over life of project (11 S.African, 3 Int’) • Core technical areas include grants and financial

management, organizational capacity building, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER)

• Implementation Strategies; • Core, Cohort & Customised Training• Educational training Fund• Technical Assistance (onsite support)• Mentoring & Twinning

FHI 360-UGM Project

Goal: Support the provision of

sustainable, high-quality HIV/AIDS services in South Africa through strategic grants management and capacity building support to partners.

Objectives: Provide grants to USAID/PEPFAR

partners that ensure adequate resource flow to foster scale-up of activities.

Provide ongoing capacity building to support and enhance scale-up of activities and sustainability of activities and partners.

Implement effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems to assess and document activities

Educational Training Fund

What is it? • A demand-driven resource

that provides UGM partners with additional support to address their unique capacity strengthening needs

What is it for?• Allows partners to tap into

external learning opportunities to improve their knowledge, skills and capacity

ETF

CoursesCourses

MembershipsMemberships ConferencesConferences

BooksBooksMaterials Development

Materials Development

FHI 360-UGM Trainings & Forums

• To date, UGM held 41 trainings and forums across eight domains

• Approximately three to four people per partner attended each training

Educational Training Learning Opportunities

• Approach: Demand-driven capacity building

• Funding: R 105,000 per annum for each partner

• Specialized needs: Short courses, workshops, conferences, professional memberships, handbooks or promotional materials

• Eligibility: staff, child care workers/volunteers, board members

• Learning opportunities funded: 136

ETF Learning Opportunities (n = 136)Grants Management

3%

Monitoring, Evaluation &

Reporting15%

Networking & Advocacy

1%

Organizational Sustainability

4%

Project Planning & Design

6%

Financial Planning and Management

11%Governance &

Strategic Planning6%

Human Resources23% Technical Capacity

31%

• Partner completes application form and submits with relevant supporting documents (30 days)

• Application is reviewed by the UGM’s ETF Committee against the established criteria

• If OK, application is submitted to senior management for approval

• Application outcome is communicated to the partner• Payment is then made to the service provider• After completion of the learning opportunity, staff

completes a feedback questionnaire and submits certificates

ETF Methodology: Application, Evaluation and Approval Process

Successes and Achievements

• Organizations utilized ETF to support a range of staff (Volunteers-Board members)

• Improved quality of service delivery through training of volunteers on comprehensive care for beneficiaries

• Improved staff skills in financial management & MER

• Improved organizational governance and strategic planning

• ETF assisted partners to get their training programs accredited

• Staff were able to access accredited training programs

Success & Achievements (Partner Feedback)

“Through use of ETF, the new board members were also groomed into their roles and responsibilities as office bearers. It is also evident that after the capacity building, that there was notably more involvement by them”

(AAHT Management)

• “I became a much more informed monitoring and evaluation officer because of all the courses I attended with ETF. At Woz’obona I was able to function efficiently and effectively; everything that I learned I was able to apply it to my work. I had a great understanding of all the indicators I was working with Overall it has been very beneficial. (M&E Officer - Wozo)

Lessons Learned

• Investments in field workers (volunteers) are more sustainable and more beneficial to the organization. Senior staff turnover is high as skills are more marketable

• More efficient and sustainable if organizations have staff development policies that bind those who access ETF

• Organizational ownership is vital. The UGM should focus on technical support (guidelines and compliance)

• Reinforced independent learner-driven education. Staff now use own funds to sign up for other courses

• Access to accredited courses has empowered learners; completing such competitive graded courses gives staff a greater sense of an accomplishment in their career path