NGO Programmes

Selection Process

• Advertisement in leading newspapers
• Inviting NGO's to express interest in undertaking TI and Care & Support interventions.
• Scrutiny of applications received on the following criteria:
  • Should be legally registered in India
  • Should be located in Maharashtra.
  • Should have been registered at least three years before the date of submission of application.
  • Should possess essential infrastructural facilities required to carry out the activities, such as staff, building and equipment.
  • Should provide evidence that the organization has the experience needed to responsibility handle budgets similar to that proposed for the activities.
  • Experience of implementing HIV/AIDS Prevention/Care & Support Programmes.
• Selected NGO's called for proposal development workshop.
• Revised proposals received and evaluated by PARC, comprising of concerned technical and finance staff.

On the following criteria:

Experience of NGO in managing similar projects, the qualifications of key members of NGO, the relevance of proposed activities to the theme of RFP, the target population, the potential benefits/outcomes of the activities and the methodology proposed for reaching out to the target groups.

The Performance Appraisal Review Committee (PARC) goes through each proposal as unsuitable, requiring additional details and suitable for pre-award visit.

Site Visit:
Joint Appraisal Team (JAT) of experts from Avert Society and MSACS are formed to visit the NGOs recommended by the evaluation panel for pre-award visit. This team inspects the premises of the NGO, interacts with the staff and assess the capability of the NGO to execute the project successfully. The review of financial records and systems adopted, discussions with beneficiaries are undertaken during the JAT visit.

Award of Grants:
The JAT submits a Site Assessment Report to Avert. Society. Based on the assessment report, Avert Society selects those proposals that can be awarded financial grant and submits it to the Governing Board. Governing Board then goes through each findings and then Avert Society notifies the agency of the outcome of the evaluation process and for those successful, the contract formalities are then begun.

Monitoring of Programmes:
Avert Society follows well-defined procedures to continuously monitor the projects/programmes that it supports. The monitoring procedures are intended not only to assess the status of a project, but also assist the agency in addressing the weak points and ensuring a successful completion of the project.

Avert Society's Monitoring of Programmes

• Monthly Reports
• Participatory Site Visits
• Experience Sharing Review Meeting
• Midterm Evaluation

Monthly Reports:
All grant recipients are requested to send a monthly report outlining the activities conducted in the last month, their outcomes, action taken to the comments of the technical officers pertaining to the previous months report, expenses incurred etc. These reports are to serve as vehicles for Avert Society to track and monitor the progress of the project carefully.

Participatory Site Visit:

• Desk review (review of monthly reports, correspondence and obligations as per grant award).
• Discussions with project's technical officers
• Visit to NGO office and assessing the staff's capabilities
• Verify the data provided in monthly reports
• Follow up on action items from last participatory site visit
• Assess administrative procedures and policies
• Discuss with the target group
• Interact with secondary stakeholders, government officials.
• Provide onsite advocacy programmes as needed
• Assist in resolution of problems
• Suggest alternate approaches and improvements
• Prepare a report and draw an action plan

These activities ensure that NGOs are monitored, guided and assisted to ensure that the project is successfully completed. A debriefing meeting where the NGO partners, Avert Society officials meet to discuss on the observations of the field visit and to finalize on the action points, also form part of the Participatory Site Visits.

Experience Sharing Review Meeting

• All NGOs theme wise invited for workshop.
• NGO presents in prescribed format highlighting their success and failures.
• Based on presentations, discussion takes place to enhance the quality interventions.
• Experts invited to provide technical input on relevant topics.

Midterm Evaluation:
About half-way into the project's duration a midterm evaluation is done to monitor its progress. This is done by an external agency using SWOT analysis and through observations, discussions and interviews with project staff, primary, secondary and tertiary stake holders. This is one more checkpoint to ensure that the goals are met and any problems encountered are addressed timely.