Global – USAID-funded Institutional Capacity Building Grant

Enhancing programming in the areas of agricultural interventions and development relief

ACDI/VOCA was awarded a five year Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) grant by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Office of Food for Peace (FFP) in September 2003. The award was ACDI/VOCA’s third such capacity building grant for its food security programs and was managed by the Food for Development (FFD) division. The purpose of the grant was to enable ACDI/VOCA to enhance its capacity to effectively implement Title II (TII) food security programs.

The ICB’s Role in FFD Programming

The ICB had a direct effect on ACDI/VOCA’s food security programs, specifically, enhanced programming in the areas of agricultural interventions and development relief, and, to a certain degree, ACDI/VOCA’s HIV/AIDS and gender initiatives. The resources made available by the ICB enabled staff members working on food security programs to enhance their own technical skills. Thereafter, these staff members provided training to their colleagues and partners, and assisted in the institutionalization of the capacity through the documentation of lessons learned and best practices. Improved approaches were also incorporated into existing and new food security programs.

The Components of the ICB

The ICB was valued at $1.4 million and was comprised of five components, as detailed below and utilized 16 volunteers for training and the provision of technical assistance. The main goal of the ICB was to enhance ACDI/VOCA’s capacity to promote food security among at-risk and vulnerable populations. To attain this goal, ACDI/VOCA focused on a) improving its management of TII resources, specifically when implementing programs of a developmental relief nature; b) continuing to collaborate with its food security partners; c) enhancing its ability to design, monitor, evaluate and report on food security programs; d) creating an evidence base that supports programmatic approaches that improve impact; and e) providing effective support for the management of current food security programs.

Impact

It was anticipated that, at the end of the five year program, the ICB would have enabled ACDI/VOCA to build upon its existing capacities in food security programming and utilize improved capabilities in areas such as developmental relief, results-based programming, HIV/AIDS programming interventions, and gender integration.