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'Best Practice' Grants Management Framework

A new Hassall & Associates International (HAI) Grant Management Framework, based on best practices and past experiences, will strengthen our design and approach in future grant management activities and increase the positive development impact in our programs.

Grant Management is a common feature in aid programs and HAI is currently managing grants in seven programs in five different countries. Similarly, Hassall & Associates Australia is managing grants in a number of programs around Australia.

HAI has always tailored its Grant Management Manuals to the specific circumstances in the countries in which we operate. Our experiences show that grant disbursements need to be tailored to individual circumstances to deliver efficient outputs and achieve effective outcomes.

In the April edition of Column H, Deborah Johnson wrote about the Grant Management Seminar held in Indonesia at the beginning of 2007. Based on the positive discussions and feedback from the seminar HAI decided to prepare a more comprehensive review of our grant management activities.

With support from N-CARTA , an Australia based company which specialises in grant management, we have carried out a review of selected grant management activities in our programs in Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Solomon Island and Australia, in order to capture lessons learned and good practices.

As a result of the review a new HAI Grant Management Framework has been developed.

This standard framework guides the development of high quality,comprehensive grant management systems, and guarantees consistency and best practice in our approaches. It allows for unique grant management system designs that respond to specific grant program requirements and contexts. It does not require individuals and groups within Hassall to usea singleinternally approvedset of documents.However, individuals or groups within HAI who are designing their unique grant management system and documentsshould refer to examples of documents used in pastHAI grant management contracts; and adopt or adapt high quality examples to suit their own program.

The Framework comprises the building blocks required to tailor a Grant Management activity to local circumstances and include four main steps: i) the design phase establishing goals and approaches; ii) establishing the Program including promotion and application processes, records keeping, assessments, decision making, and announcements procedures; iii) managing the program comprising contract negotiations, payment procedures, performance monitoring and risk management; and finally, iv) reviewing the program including the evaluation and documentation of lessons learned, and evidence-based learning and dissemination to be used for future designs.

The new Grant Management Framework provides HAI with a unique opportunity to enhance development impact through grant programs in the countries and communities we are servicing. Enhanced development impact through evidence based learning and change is the core business of HAI’s Development Impact Group.

More detailed information on the Grant Management Framework can be obtained via Jorgen Jensen, Manager of the Development Impact Group, jjensen@hassall.com.au

N-CARTA is managed by Barry Smith and Fiona Dempster who facilitated the Grant Management Seminar for HAI in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.