SUMMARY:

The Ambassador's HIV and AIDS Small Grants Program in South Africa will use PEPFAR funds to continue

to support South Africa's most promising small community and faith-based organizations making significant

contributions to the fight against HIV and AIDS. Major emphasis areas are commodity procurement and

human resources. The activities target PLHIV and their families and caregivers, community volunteers,

CBOs and FBOs.

BACKGROUND:

The Ambassador's HIV and AIDS Small Grants Program in South Africa (Small Grants) has had three

tremendously successful years. Out of over 1,000 applications, the South Africa Mission has entered into

agreement with 237 small community-based organizations (FY 2005, FY 2006, and FY 2007) in the areas of

prevention, hospice care, home-based care, treatment support, and care for orphans and vulnerable

children. Funded projects are located in nine provinces, primarily in disadvantaged rural areas. The average

funding amount is approximately $10,000. Programs supported with Small Grants funds provide service

delivery that directly impacts communities and people affected by HIV and AIDS. The USG PEPFAR Task

Force is increasingly linking community and faith-based organizations funded through Small Grants with

larger PEPFAR partners and South African Government departments to build capacity and ensure project

sustainability. Small grants projects generate positive publicity for PEPFAR and goodwill in communities.

The Mission has established guidelines and review procedures to ensure that strong applications are

considered for funding through a fair, transparent process. Criteria for selection include: improvement of

basic conditions at the community level; benefit a substantial number of people in the community; be within

the means of the local community to operate and maintain; and quick implementation of grant within one-

year agreement period. Grants must conform to the PEPFAR Small Grants Guidelines. Projects are

reviewed by a technical Mission Health Committee and supervised through the Embassy and each

Consulate General by State Department Small Grants Coordinators. Based on experience in FY 2005, FY

2006 and FY 2007, the USG PEPFAR Task Force anticipates the strongest applications for FY 2008 will be

in the areas of (1) care, particularly hospice and community-based care, and (2) orphans and vulnerable

children.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

The next round of applications and approvals for Small Grants has begun (with anticipated FY 2008

funding). Given three successful years of the program, the USG PEPFAR Task Force expects to fund

approximately 30 community and faith-based organizations that will assist HIV-infected individuals and their

families with clinical and physical care, psychological care, spiritual care and social care, as well as

elements of the preventive care package for adults and children. Anticipated activities include the provision

or referral for psychosocial support and household support including assistance with house cleaning,

cooking, feeding and changing of linens. Some Small Grants grantees will be involved in pain and symptom

recognition and referrals to health care facilities as necessary. Referral for counseling and testing, treatment

and ARV services will also be part of the care package. For organizations working in home-based care, the

use of preventive measures such as the use of gloves, will also emphasized. Grantees will message and

mobilize for cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, screening for TB, and referral for appropriate opportunistic infection

management. Grantees will make and effort to ensure equitable access to care services for both males and

females and advocate for increased participation by men in service delivery.

ACTIVITY 2: Monitoring of Small Grants

The Small Grants Program monitors grantees on a regular basis to ensure financial and technical

compliance as well as to review organizational capacity to adequately implement the program.

These activities support the South Africa Mission's Five-Year Strategy by providing support to and building

capacity in small local organizations working at the community level. These activities also contribute to the

PEPFAR goals of providing care and support to 10 million HIV-affected individuals.

SUMMARY:

The Small Grants program aims to support OVC in South Africa to have equal access to basic essential

services. The USG acknowledges the invaluable role that small community-based organizations and

caregivers play in caring for OVC, and therefore funds, supports and capacitates small NGOs and small

CBOs through the provision of funding for direct services and training to enable better community

responses in caring for OVC within their care and reach. The Ambassador's HIV and AIDS Small Grants

Program will use FY 2008 PEPFAR funds to continue to support South Africa's most promising small

community and faith-based organizations making significant contributions to the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Major emphasis areas for this activity are training, procurement of basic equipment, and local organization

capacity development. The target population for these activities is OVC, HIV-infected infants and children,

their families and caregivers, community volunteers, community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based

organizations (FBOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

BACKGROUND:

The Ambassador's HIV and AIDS Small Grants Program in South Africa (Small Grants) has had three

tremendously successful years. Out of over 1,000 applications, the South Africa Mission has entered into

agreement with 237 small community-based organizations (FY 2005, FY 2006, & FY 2007) in the areas of

prevention, hospice care, home-based care, treatment support, and care for orphans and vulnerable

children. Funded projects are located in nine provinces, primarily in disadvantaged rural areas. The average

funding amount is approximately $10,000. Programs supported with Small Grants funds provide service

delivery that directly impacts communities and people affected by HIV and AIDS. The USG PEPFAR Task

Force is increasingly linking community and faith-based organizations funded through Small Grants with

larger PEPFAR partners and South African Government departments to build capacity and ensure project

sustainability. Small grants projects generate positive publicity for PEPFAR and goodwill in communities.

The Mission has established guidelines and review procedures to ensure that strong applications are

considered for funding through a fair, transparent process. Criteria for selection include: improvement of

basic conditions at the community level; benefit a substantial number of people in the community; be within

the means of the local community to operate and maintain; and quick implementation of grant within one-

year agreement period. Grants must conform to the PEPFAR Small Grants Guidelines. Projects are

reviewed by a technical Mission Health Committee and supervised through the Embassy and each

Consulate General by State Department Small Grants Coordinators. Based on experience in FY 2005, FY

2006 and FY 2007, the USG PEPFAR Task Force anticipates the strongest applications for FY 2008 will be

in the areas of (1) care, particularly hospice and community-based care, and (2) orphans and vulnerable

children.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

The next round of applications and approvals for Small Grants has begun (with anticipated FY 2008

funding). Given three successful years of the program, the USG PEPFAR Task Force expects to fund

approximately 95 community and faith-based organizations assisting OVC in FY 2008. These organizations

are expected to reach 17,000 OVC with the following services: nutritious meals; educational activities

including HIV prevention messages; regular home visits; assistance in birth registration and accessing

government social security grants; psychosocial support and training in the establishment of food gardens.

Anticipated activities include training for caregivers, stipends for caregivers, basic equipment for

orphanages such as bedding and kitchen equipment, transportation costs for OVC, educational materials,

and nursing supplies.

Examples of programs funded in FY 2007 include: St. Anna and Joachim Roman Catholic Organization, a

faith-based organization in King Dinizulu Township, KwaZulu-Natal that provides care to more than 476

OVC. Members of the local Catholic church started the organization when they saw a growing number of

orphans in the community who needed care, but were receiving little or no support. Volunteers from St.

Anna and Joachim visit child-headed households provide food, help OVC gain access to government grants

and services, assist with school uniforms, provide psychological support, and encourage community

involvement with OVC. A small grant of $10,000 will help train the caregivers and fund small stipends to

support the St. Anna and Joachim caregivers. Caregivers training typically include identification training for

cases of vulnerability, abuse, ill health and HIV/AIDS infection and information and mechanisms for referral

to access other Government services. Basic parenting skills, nutrition and food gardening, health and

hygiene normally form part of the training.

Diabashe Day Care Center and Orphanage, a small CBO located in Mdantsane township outside East

London, Eastern Cape, shelters 15 HIV positive orphans. It also provides care to 183 OVC through its day

care center. The center, apart from being a safe haven where children can interact with each other and with

adults in a supportive environment, may also provide daily nutritious meals, access to educational support,

and other support to OVC. Diabashe works closely with government social services, which place orphans at

their Center. A small grant of $10,000 will provide training to Diabashe staff on pediatric AIDS care, as well

as provide the Orphanage with beds, bedding, towels, heaters, and fans. Caregivers will also receive

gloves, first aid kits, nursing supplies, and small stipends.

These activities support the South Africa Mission's Five Year Strategy by providing support to and building

capacity in small local organizations working at the community level. These activities also contribute to the

PEPFAR goals of providing care and service to 10 million HIV-affected individuals, including orphans and

vulnerable children.

PEPFAR funded positions: The Small Grants Program in South Africa will use PEPFAR funds to continue to

support South Africa's most promising small community and faith-based organizations (CBOs and FBOs)

making significant contributions to the fight against HIV and AIDS. The organizations will receive grants in

the amount of $10,000 and will enter a one-year contract with the USG. Major emphasis areas are

commodity procurement and human resources. The activities target PLHIV and their families and

caregivers, community volunteers, CBOs and FBOs.

The Small Grants Program is managed in four locations: Embassy in Pretoria, Cape Town Consulate,

Durban Consulate, and Johannesburg Consulate. Currently Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg

Consulates have half-time positions and Pretoria has had a full-time person (Embassy Small Grants

Coordinator) since November 2006. Due to the increase in program funding and administration, Cape

Town, Durban and Johannesburg Consulates will increase staffing hours so that there will be full-time

positions at each location.

The Embassy Small Grants Coordinator is responsible for administering grants in a particular geographic

region and responsible for overall program coordination. This person is the liaison for the program to key

stakeholders at the State Department, CDC and USAID. The positions at the Consulate are each

responsible for administering grants in a particular geographic region. They report to the Consul General.

Non-PEPFAR funded positions: The POL Officer at the Embassy is the Grant Officer and facilitates the

legal and technical matters with the grant agreements. This person oversees the overall management of the

program. An FSN, POL Assistant, works in Pretoria to assist with the grants. Fifty percent of his time is

devoted to helping manage this program. The POL Office Assistant provides some administrative support to

this program. This person spends approximately 15% of her time in this role.