SUN Movement Pooled Fund 2021 Workplan & Budget - 1 January 2021 - 31 December 2021
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SUN Movement Pooled Fund 2021 Workplan & Budget 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 2
1. About the Pooled Fund 3
Origins & Purpose 3
Overview of the Funding Scope 3
2. About this Workplan 4
3. Grants management - Stewardship of Pooled Funds 5
Adapting and mitigating the impact of COVID-19: Context for the year ahead 5
Support to Civil Society Alliances 6
Support to SUN Business Networks 7
Support to Multi-Sectoral Platforms 9
4. Monitoring and Evaluation - Feeding the Movement 10
5. Communication & Visibility - Showcasing lessons and achievements 12
Schedule of external communications 13
6. Closure Planning 13
Closure approach 13
Provisional schedule of deliverables 14
7. Looking ahead: Phase 3 of the SUN Movement (2021-2025) 15
8. Pooled Fund Grants Budget 17
Summary of Donor Contributions as of 31 December 2020 17
Summary of Budget & Key Elements in 2021 18
Summary of Budget Revisions and Proposed 2021 Budget 19
Personnel 21
Travel 21
Communications & Visibility 21
Locally Managed Direct Costs (LMDC) 22
Indirect Costs 22
Annexe: 2021 Pooled Fund Workplan 23
Annexe: List of Pooled Fund beneficiaries 25
2
1. About the Pooled Fund
Origins & Purpose
In the context of the second Strategy of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
Movement, the SUN Movement Pooled Fund (the “Pooled Fund”) was established
in 2017 as a source for funding to support Multi-Sector/Stakeholder Platforms in
SUN Countries to increase the effectiveness and impact of national efforts to end
malnutrition in all its forms. The Pooled Fund strives to be a last resort source of
funding that supports catalytic and innovative projects that contribute to national
plans to scale up nutrition and reinforce in-country capabilities of all stakeholders
in SUN Countries.
Hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the Pooled
Fund is coherent with the SUN Movement Strategy and Roadmap (2016-2020)
and integrated with the broader SUN Movement stewardship arrangements and
processes at national and global levels. The Pooled Fund is managed by a
7-member team thanks to funding from the governments of the following
supporters: Canada, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom,
and the European Commission. The total budget available in the Pooled Fund is
approximately USD 18.3 million, a 516% increase from the program’s original
go/no-go milestone of USD 3 million.
Overview of the Funding Scope
In collaboration with SUN network secretariats, the grant contracts are allocated
to select SUN country projects according to specific eligibility criteria and through
transparent and competitive calls within 2 funding windows.
Window 1
Window 1: Strengthened participation by in-country non-state stakeholders
(civil society, private sector actors, academics, and journalists, among others)
and parliamentarians in national multi-stakeholder platforms to implement
scale-up nutrition plans.
The objective of Window 1 of the Pooled Fund is to catalyze the organized
participation of additional in-country stakeholders in the national planning,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of multi-stakeholder plans for
nutrition. Window 1 aims to build, or strengthen, the participation of non-state
actors in Multi-stakeholder Platforms (MSPs). Its beneficiaries are national Civil
Society Alliances (CSAs) and national S
UN Business Networks (SBNs).
3
Window 2
Window 2: Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Platforms and improvement of their
performance at national and especially at the sub-national level and collaboration
across key areas, via sharing and learning, to increase impact.
The objective of Window 2 grants is to strengthen linkages and collaboration
within the Multi-Sector/Stakeholder Platform (MSP) at both the national and
sub-national level. Window 2 aims to accelerate the coordinated delivery of
high-impact nutrition activities by members of MSPs, encouraging cooperation
across core areas, through sharing and learning, to increase impact. Projects
demonstrate innovative ways of working at decentralized level-with potential for
scalability in other districts/regions.
2. About this Workplan
This workplan of the SUN Movement Pooled Fund covers the period 1 January
2021 – 31 December 2021. It has been compiled jointly by the SUN Movement
Secretariat and the Pooled Fund Team. This workplan is to inform key
stakeholders on the key priorities for the final operational year of the Pooled Fund
in Phase 2 of the SUN Movement. It is also intended to support future discussions
in the evolution from Phase 2 to
Phase 3 of the larger SUN
Movement in the context of
pooled funding for SUN
Movement members.
The Pooled Fund Team values its
continued service to the SUN
Movement and its grant
beneficiaries. It is responsible for
delivering on the promises of
Phase 2 and informing the
process leading to Phase 3 of the
SUN Movement. The 2021 Pooled
Fund Workplan reflects on the
milestones from the 2020 Workplan and remains committed to the activities
required to effectively administer and close the grant project this year. These
project management requirements notwithstanding, the 2021 Pooled Fund
Workplan is cognizant of the 2021 SUN Movement Secretariat Workplan and the
necessity to “build forward better” in light of the havoc that the COVID-19
pandemic has wreaked on nutrition and food security globally.
In 2021, the Pooled Fund Team will continue to focus on good stewardship of
donor funds during the close-out process, showcasing the lessons learnt and
achievements of beneficiaries on the frontlines of the Movement, synthesizing
4and analyzing first-hand data, and informing the SUN Movement on lessons
learnt and opportunities for country-led support in SUN 3.0. A tabular format of
this workplan’s 2021 outputs can be found at the end of this document in Annexe:
2021 Pooled Fund Workplan.
3. Grants management - Stewardship of
Pooled Funds
Adapting and mitigating the impact of COVID-19:
Context for the year ahead
The Covid-19 crisis was the most profound challenge faced by all entities in 2020.
The pandemic halted project workshops, conferences, field activities, and
parliamentary hearings. It closed offices and airports and redirected the attention
of policy-leaders on emergency response. By definition, grant-making is a
time-bound, results-oriented, and country-driven engagements. The pandemic
spared not one of these characteristics. Though this workplan is focused on
priorities for 2021, the Pooled Fund Team wants to give context to its response
and risk mitigation activities of the previous year carry into the present one.
The activities planned by Civil Society Alliances (CSAs), SUN Business Networks
(SBNs), and Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) were postponed or cancelled due
to the restrictions. Beneficiaries redesigned activities to make the
implementation possible during the pandemic. Almost all countries, regardless
of the grant cycle, realigned their Pooled Fund activities to either support their
governments in developing/aligning national response measures or to address
gaps in national response clusters.
The government priorities were shifted away from nutrition and hence, threatens
to reverse the achievements on nutrition. Not to be deterred, Pooled Fund
beneficiaries stepped in for governments to deliver media messages and
health-clinic hygiene training in local dialects and hard-to-reach locations. Grant
recipients also realigned activities to monitor the impact of COVID on supply gaps
and monitor interventions for effectiveness and nutrition sensitivity.
With the overall approval of the Consultative Group, the Pooled Fund
demonstrated its flexibility and agility to support countries to react quickly to
adapt, mitigate, and build back better systems. First, with the help of the SUN
Movement Secretariat and the Civil Society Network, the Pooled Fund Team went
through an extensive reprogramming exercise with the grant recipients to adjust
the work plans and budgets applicable in a way that made sense to the country
context. Second, the team extended the overall timeline of the grant contracts to
preserve the continuity of the projects thanks to the April 2020 decision by the
5Consultative Group.1 Third, the team issued top-up’s to 11 grant project budgets
to finance a nutrition-related pandemic response.2 And fourth, the Pooled Fund
Team solicited another round of small grants for previously-awarded Pooled Fund
recipients adversely affected by the pandemic.
Support to Civil Society Alliances
Background - The Pooled Fund Team launched 3 Call for Proposals (CFPs)
under Window 1 in June 2018, February 2019, and July 2020. The objective of the
Civil Society Alliance (CSA) support was to ensure a coordinated, aligned and
effective national response to malnutrition. Projects included activities at both
the national and/or subnational level, according to what the applicants saw as
realistic for their context and organizational capacity. For more information
about the Window 1 outcomes and scope of work, visit Tracking Progress on the
SUN Pooled Fund Website.
The first CFP established the oversight and scope of grant-making activities,
including establishing new CSAs. The second CFP focused on existing CSA’s and
prioritized countries who had not previously benefited from a Pooled Fund grant
who could “demonstrate the use of partnerships.” The third CFP of small
continuation grants was directed to those adversely affected by the COVID-19
pandemic.
Activities - In addition to
responding to country needs
throughout the pandemic, the
Pooled Fund Team processed a
massive amount of CSA reporting
data in 2020. The team
processed final close-outs of
Cycle 1 grant recipients, both
interim and final reports for Cycle
2 grants, and processed Cycle 4
continuation grant awards after a
competitive Call for Proposals.
It is a strenuous endeavour to
review roughly 21 final reports
(Cycle 1), 40 interim and final reports (Cycle 2), the consolidated WFP report for
the SUN Business network, and 12 interim reports for Window 2. That is why the
Pooled Fund Team draws upon the talents of its Grants Officers, the Monitoring &
Evaluation Team members and an on-demand retainer position to complete the
1
Contracts were not extended past 30 June 2021, in order for the Pooled Fund Team to process the individual grant
close-outs and the overall project closeout in the third and fourth quarters of 2021.
2
Top-ups to individual grant budgets did not exceed USD 50,000 and were subject to review for applicability and
non-duplication of existing national efforts.
6tasks. The team will continue these efforts in 2021 to ensure that grant funds are
used effectively and processed efficiently to support each Civil Society Alliance’s
nutrition, advocacy, and sustainability strategy.
Challenges - UNOPS does not receive core funding from member states, and
hence works on cost-recovery and cash-based project implementation. At the
time of signing the donor agreements, an estimated overall US Dollar value
(based on UN exchange rate) is taken for budgeting purposes as standard. The
COVID-19 pandemic presented more than just programmatic challenges for the
Pooled Fund beneficiaries, the currency fluctuations as part of the pandemic’s
negative economic impact has affected the project budget as well. In April 2020
the Consultative Group approved the proposal to run another Call for Proposals as
continuation grants for Civil Society Organizations who had finished or were
finishing their Window 1 grant projects and were severely affected by the
pandemic. After issuing budget “top-ups” for relevant Cycles, the Pooled Fund
Team calculated the amount of funding available for continuation grants and
selected 15 applications. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, however, the amount
of funding available for these Alliances was less than originally estimated.
Therefore, the Pooled Fund Team does not have the budget to award the 3
remaining applicants. These applicants are Nutrition International on behalf of
the CSA in Pakistan, CARE Perú, and the Centro De Apoyo De Lactancia Materna
in El Salvador.
Another difficulty to international grant-making, including Pooled Fund grants,
relates to the political context in which they find themselves. The Pooled Fund
has always strived to include countries furthest left behind. In particular, the
revolution in Sudan upended the Civil Society Alliance and resulted in the
deregistration of a grant recipient, the Talawiet Organization for Development.
Throughout 2020, the Pooled Fund Team worked closely with OCHA and the UN
network in Sudan to align with the UN response to grant recipients, project
partners, and investments that were adversely affected by the de-registration.
Based on the UN networks analysis and approach of the situation, UNOPS is
recommending to the Consultative Group to approve a “wave-off” of grant funds
for the Sudanese recipient that cannot be recovered from the organisation nor
the government and close the project with the available unverified reports.
Support to SUN Business Networks
Background - With additional funding from the European Commission to the
Pooled Fund, the Consultative Group agreed in 2019 to support action in 13 SUN
countries to catalyze and expand private sector engagement and investment on
nutrition via the SUN Business Network (SBN). Support to the SBN falls under
Window 1 of the Pooled Fund, as they are “in-country non-state stakeholders.”
With this funding, the World Food Programme (also through sub-granting to
GAIN) has catalyzed and expanded private sector engagement and investment
on nutrition through country-driven and country-led SUN Business Networks in 15
7countries. At the mid-point of its
implementation, the SBN has
already documented an increase
in network functionality for brand
new and previously established
networks. There are a handful of
countries that benefit from a
Pooled Fund grant to their CSA
and another to their in-country
SBN. Throughout the virtual
monitoring missions, the Pooled Fund Team has noted and further encouraged
cross-collaboration between these SUN Business and Civil Society groups. For
more information about the Window 1 - Cycle 3 outcomes and scope of work, visit
Tracking Progress on the SUN Pooled Fund Website.
Activities & Milestones - SUN Business Network projects started in the first
quarter of 2020. These countries are: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Côte d'Ivoire, El
Salvador, Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Nigeria, Madagascar, Pakistan, Senegal, Sri Lanka,
Tanzania, and Uganda. As previously planned, the SBN would begin funding
activities in Kenya and Malawi at the start of 2021. As part of the COVID-19
mitigation measures, WFP received a no-cost extension in December 2020, to
prolong its activities until 30 June 2021. This extension was a component of the
April 2020 decision by the Consultative Group to grant extensions to those
countries adversely affected by the pandemic. In 2021, the Pooled Fund Team
will consider an amendment to expand the scope of the project into 4 additional
countries: Mozambique, Nepal, Guatemala, and Honduras. Expanding into
additional countries was one of the original provisions of the grant agreement.
UNOPS would increase the current budget of the Window 1 - Cycle 3 agreement
by USD 770,204, based on the needs-based request by WFP.
Challenges - The pandemic presented a significant challenge to members of
in-country business networks. Not only did the pandemic inhibit gathering for
training, negotiations, and outreach with business leaders, it also affected the
operations of enterprises themselves. As the economic impact of the pandemic
resonated in businesses large and small, the SUN Business Network responded
quickly. As part of its response, SBN Country Coordinators and SUN Focal
Government Focal points used the crisis as an opportunity to form new strategic
partnerships. Together, they increased small-to-medium enterprise (SME)
resilience to COVID through special training programs and formed linkages
between small cultivators with SBN members as buyers. Across all platforms and
SBN stages, 2021 will continue to focus on mobilizing small and medium
enterprises and political engagement with commercial and nutrition
policymakers in each country. It is times like these when nutrition SME’s need
the SUN Movement approach - and we are counting on their role in both
nutrition and economic recovery.
8Finally, the implementation timeline will remain a challenge in 2021. Because of
the delay in the signing the agreement between the European Commission and
UNOPS for the Pooled Fund, the start of activities was postponed by 6 months
(from July 2019 to February 2020). The recent contract extension mitigated this
delay to what would be an ordinary timeline. However, 2020 was an extraordinary
year, and sustainable activities on a short timeline will be particularly challenging.
While the total budget has not changed, the pandemic has slowed or delayed
fund absorption and risks under-utilising the total financial envelope allocated to
this work.
Support to Multi-Sectoral Platforms
Background - The Call for
Proposal (CFP) under Window 2
directly addresses the strengthening
of Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSP)
to deliver impact at a sub-national
level. The 13 awarded projects were
developed by the country’s MSP and
started between December 2019 -
February 2020. Beneficiaries selected
goals in their respective national
nutrition plan and are building collaboration and partnership among the
members of the MSP to scale-up efforts at the subnational level. For more
information about the Window 1 - Cycle 3 outcomes and scope of work, visit
Tracking Progress on the SUN Pooled Fund Website.
Activities & Milestones - The Pooled Fund Team’s stewardship activities in
2021 will be reviewing 11 interim reports and 13 final reports in 2021 from Window 2
beneficiaries. Since this was one of the latest, full-size Cycles of the Pooled Fund,
this year will be a major period of data collection, financial analysis and
disbursement for this cohort. The Pooled Fund Team looks forward to
completing the remaining virtual field visits for these beneficiaries in 2021. The
recipients are generally mature and active countries in the SUN Movement, and
integrating their experiences into the data assessment and lessons learning of
SUN 2.0.
Challenges - Thanks to the Consultative Groups decision in April 2020, the
Pooled Fund Team has responded to Multi-Stakeholder Platform requests to
extend their project timelines until 30 June 2021 (6 months). The mature MSPs
and large grant awards were fitting for this Cycle of beneficiaries at the time they
were awarded. However, the pandemic has affected these projects’ absorption
rates. Soon after they initiated project activities, countries underwent lockdowns
and travel restrictions. The beneficiaries have since adapted their activities,
9staffing arrangements, and individual budgets since the onset of the pandemic,
but budget absorption will remain a risk for certain countries in this Cycle in 2021.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation - Feeding the
Movement
The team was expanded and has been able to provide extensive technical
support, quality assurance and capacity building to grantees; ensuring systematic
improvements. The team has also established effective bilateral relationships with
each of the grantees with regular catch up, capacity building and technical
support meetings held. In 2021, the team will focus on ensuring effective
close-out and identifying lessons learnt for grantees, UNOPS, and the SUN
Movement Secretariat and Networks. These objectives are summarized in
Annexe: 2021 Pooled Fund Workplan and will be used for future planning and
decision-making in SUN 3.0.
The Pooled Fund recognizes the importance of on-the-ground field monitoring
and evaluation. This was incorporated into the project as a direct response to the
Independent Evaluation of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), that “the extent
and quality of programme and financial monitoring was limited” in the Pooled
Fund’s programmatic predecessor (p. 31). The Pooled Fund M&E Team aimed to
visit each beneficiary where safety and feasibility allow. However, in 2020 due to
global travel restrictions, virtual missions were used in place of on-the-ground
missions. The Team covered 17 countries in this manner. During the monitoring
missions, the UNOPS Team conducts a detailed programmatic assessment and
financial spot check and analysis of a variety of financial documentation and
internal controls in use. The focus has been on assessing progress towards
planned results, sustainability, partnership, capacity, governance and
coordination, risk management, gender mainstreaming and youth engagement.
As part of the contribution to the broader SUN Movement knowledge
management objectives, the virtual monitoring visit’s findings are discussed with
grantees at the end of the exercise. The team has planned 10 more virtual
missions in 2021 (eight from Window 2 - Cycle 1 and two from Window 1 - Cycle 2).
In addition to this, a review of the Window 1 - Cycle 4 continuation grants is
scheduled within the first half of 2021. This will serve multiple roles including
progress monitoring, reporting and lesson learning process. UNOPS will also
collaborate with the WFP virtual monitoring mission once this is organized.
The Pooled Fund is a critical mechanism in data gathering and
knowledge-sharing within the SUN Movement. In addition to debriefing the
grant recipient, the M&E Team also discloses their virtual monitoring mission
findings to the SUN Movement Secretariat, as recommended in the Independent
Evaluation of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) (p. 60). This validates the work
that the SUN Movement Secretariat’s Country Liaison Team’s and supports their
knowledge of in-country needs and relationships. Additionally, the Civil Society
Network (CSN) is routinely informed of the findings and is invited to observe the
10monitoring missions. This collaboration will continue in 2021. Debriefing of the
SUN Movement on findings will begin through a series of monthly meetings that
will be conducted as part of the broader knowledge management sessions in
2021.
In 2020, the Pooled Fund team undertook 3 virtual lesson learning sessions with
grant recipients that focused around common threads in their projects. The
greatest advantage of bringing different stakeholders together for lesson
learning is providing an opportunity to share experiences and identify
opportunities for further collaboration. One session is scheduled for Window 1 -
Cycle 4 in 2021 and at least one more session that will focus on transition will be
conducted in 2021 for each region. The team will also engage with and coordinate
with CSN and SBN on lesson learning processes.
Towards the end of 2020, the Pooled Fund Team developed impact stories of the
earliest recipients of the Fund. These preliminary outcomes were synthesized
into the Evidence Package and presented to the Consultative Group and network
partners in December 2020. In 2019, the Consultative Group judged that the best
position for an evaluation of the Pooled Fund would be within a larger evaluation,
known as the Strategic Review, of the SUN Movement. Since the Pooled Fund
was designed to support the strategic objectives of the SUN Movement, the
outcome revealed that they shared many of the same strengths and weaknesses.
In addition to showcasing the achievements of Pooled Fund, the Evidence
Package added a few additional recommendations for SUN 3.0 that complement
and build upon the existing recommendations in the Strategic Review. As the
projects come to an end, the Pooled Fund Team will build upon the existing
Evidence Package by undertaking a data assessment to identify the gaps and
opportunities that will be used in the move towards entrenching knowledge
management in our programmes. This will be done in close collaboration with
SBN and CSN. Both the Evidence Package and the results of future data
assessments are expected to contribute to strengthening future knowledge
management and planning processes that are envisioned for 2021.
Peer-to-peer learning in Myanmar: exchange visit between two CSOs, Chan Myae Myitta Development Association
(CMMDA) and Welthungerhilfe (WWH) Bogale2. Pooled Fund Beneficiary - Save the Children Myanmar, November 2020.
115. Communication & Visibility -
Showcasing lessons and achievements
The Pooled Fund has always generated learning and sharing between its
beneficiaries. The focus in 2021 will be to guide the discourse by beneficiaries
around particular topics for design and implementation in SUN 3.0, to
showcase the achievements of beneficiaries, and to increase the visibility of
beneficiaries to help them achieve their goals.
Good communication is a major component for the administrative
requirements of the Pooled Fund Project. Over the past year, the Pooled Fund
issued a competitive Call for Proposals (CFP), delivered several onboarding and
reporting webinars in several languages, drafted impact statements for the
Visioning process and donor presentations, as well as developed official reports
on the achievements of the project. Although 2021 will not require
administrative communication for new CFPs, the Pooled Fund will continue to
support beneficiaries through reporting and closeout webinars, continue to
facilitate information requests, and will continue to deliver quality, timely
reports to its stakeholders. A schedule of the formal, external reports is listed in
the table below.
The visibility of the Pooled Fund is aligned with the visibility plan of the SUN
Movement Secretariat. The Pooled Fund communication activities feed into
the knowledge and visibility of the greater SUN Movement. In 2020, the Pooled
Fund delivered on its promise and launched its website. In the first half of 2021,
the website will be available in 3 languages and will feature the impact stories
of every Pooled Fund Project. The Pooled Fund Team exceeded its 2020
targets and increased the visibility of the beneficiaries in social media by
strengthening the grant recipient’s use of #SUNPooledFund and by promoting
country achievements each month in the SUN e-Newsletter. The team will
continue to showcase country accomplishments big and small in 2021 - the
visibility of national non-profits and networks supports their sustainability after
the grant funds have been exhausted.
Though 2020 was a challenging year to showcase the Pooled Fund at
international and regional events due to the pandemic, the team has created
its own opportunity to promote cross-learning. Already, the team hosted two
iterations of its #Learning4Nutrition series with plans for several more in 2021.
The richness of information from the virtual field visits deserves to be
showcased and transferred to inform the SUN Movement Secretariat and
networks for SUN 3.0, which is why the team will debrief the Secretariat starting
January 2021. Finally, as grant projects come to a close, the Pooled Fund Team
will host a Lesson Learning/Knowledge Management webinar to take stock of
12the country and grant-making experiences since the start of the project in 2018,
to inspire and inform the design and implementation of SUN 3.0.
Schedule of external communications
The following schedule lists formal external reports for the Pooled Fund in 2021.
No. Ext. Communication Delivery Date Notes
Action
1 2021 Pooled Fund 30 January 2021 Presented at the 1st
Workplan Consultative Group
meeting of 2021 and then
to the SUN Executive
Committee
2 2020 Pooled Fund Annual 30 June 2021 Preliminary edition due
Report 30 April 2021.
3 Consolidated Monthly 30 April 2021 *Provisional based on the
Updates 31 July 2021 time of close-out for the
31 October project.
2021*
4 Communication on Pooled 31 November Provisional based on
Fund budget status after 2021 closure process
grant closures
5 Knowledge Management Late 2021 Provisional date based on
webinar to share lessons Visioning Process for SUN
learned. 3.0
6. Closure Planning
Closure approach
In the latter half of 2021, the Pooled Fund Team will prepare for the current
Pooled Fund 2.0 project’s closure. Throughout the course of this year, the Pooled
Fund will review and analyze over 59 grant reports and process payments and
close-out over 40 grant contracts. There are 8 virtual site-monitoring visits, 12
bilateral status-calls, and 4 lessons-learning webinars that remain as well. This is a
tremendous amount of work, notwithstanding the SUN 3.0 Visioning and
knowledge management support that the Pooled Fund Team will support in the
coming months.
The closure will follow standard UNOPS guidelines and procedures. Generally
speaking, this requires all project outputs to be handed over to the SUN
Movement Secretariat and other stakeholders. All operational and financial
13closure activities will have to be completed, as applicable, following the UNOPS
Project Management Manual.
Provisional schedule of deliverables
Below is a provisional list of typical activities necessary for any UNOPS closure
process. It is important to note that some data may not be finalised until the
fiscal year closes in early 2022. As this list is derived from the general UNOPS
Closure Guidelines, some activities may not apply to this specific project and its
donor agreements. Nevertheless, it is important that the 2021 activities factor in
the closure process, to efficiently move into the next phase of the SUN Movement.
Operational closure:
1. Start operational closure activities
2. Document and analyze lessons learned from the project in the system
and include in the Final Report (if applicable)
3. Issue approved interim financial statement (if required)
4. Complete transfer and/or disposal of project assets (if not already
completed) in accordance with the Legal Agreement (if applicable)
5. Complete and agree on final budget revisions with the Partner(s) (if
required)
6. Submit Final Report
7. Obtain No-Objection Letter
8. Archive existing project documentation in oneUNOPS and also in a
physical archive (in accordance with the Operational Instruction on Document
Retention)
9. Assign Closure Manager role and complete handover from the Project
Manager (if not the same person)
10. Complete operational closure checklist
11. Approve operational closure completion
Financial closure:
1. Start financial closure activities
2. Complete clearance of balance sheet account
3. Create Final Financial Statement
4. Certify Final Financial Statement
5. Obtain Final Financial Statement approval
6. Complete refund process or recovery process (if necessary)
7. Complete write-off process (if necessary)
8. Complete financial closure checklist
9. Complete document archival
1410. Approve financial closure completion
11. Approve stage completion
12. Release Closure Manager
13. Release Project Executive
7. Looking ahead: Phase 3 of the SUN
Movement (2021-2025)
As the Movement transitions to Phase 3, the SUN Movement Secretariat will
support a visioning exercise to redefine the objectives and expected outcomes of
a pooled fund to address the recommendations from the strategic review of the
SUN Movement and align it to the Phase 3 strategic objectives. This will involve
assessing the validity of the current Pooled Fund’s performance objectives,
assessing the Phase 3 strategic objectives and aligning innovative and catalytic
actions to address any identified gaps in the delivery and scaling up of nutrition at
country level.
In January 2021, the Lead Group shared the final SUN 3.0 Strategy and endorsed
the existence and importance of the Pooled Fund in Phase 3 of the SUN
Movement. The Pooled Fund Evidence Package succinctly describes key
recommendations and the suggested vision for the Pooled Fund in SUN 3.0.
What is clear going forward is that the Pooled Fund should remain a catalytic, last
resort, and innovative funding mechanism. Additionally, and from what has so far
been discussed among the SUN Movement’s governing bodies, is that the Pooled
Fund should also adopt a more tailored approach to its funding support in fragile
states that respects the complexity of country needs. The future Pooled Fund
should also embolden SUN Networks at the global, regional and country level to
further project activities after seed-funding is issued. Finally, a Phase 3 Pooled
Fund should be designed to feed into SUN Movements knowledge management
practices and infrastructure, however it may form.
The Pooled Fund Team looks to
SUN Movement’s leadership to
define and organize the design
process, so that the team may
contribute its wealth of data in an
efficient manner. Together, we can
ensure the SUN Movement’s Pooled
Fund is used as effectively as
possible to achieve the objectives
set forth in SUN 3.0.
A kitchen garden in Homabay Kenya, Pooled Fund Beneficiary - Nutrition International, 2020.
158. Pooled Fund Grants Budget
Summary of Donor Contributions as of 31 December 2020
The Pooled Fund Windows are funded thanks to generous contributions from the following donors: the governments of
Canada, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European Commission. Some contribution
agreements are signed in local currency (in the Pooled Fund’s case Euro, British Pounds & Norwegian Krone) and drawn-down
incrementally through planned schedule of instalments throughout the project life cycle. Upon receiving planned
instalments, local currencies are converted into USD based on the UNORE standard rate. Currency conversion rate at the time
of disbursement of installment to US dollars can result in positive or negative currency fluctuations.
Agreement Agreement Signed Equivalent Difference from original
Donors signed date expires on Contributing Currency (UNORE in USD) Received (USD) estimate USD*
Switzerland 1-Dec-17 31-Dec-21 USD 4,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,999,900 -$100
Ireland 1-Dec-17 31-Dec-21 EUR 1,800,000 $2,081,866 $2,081,867 $1
DFATD 28-Mar-18 31-Dec-18 CAD 1,000,000 $785,546 $794,913 $9,367
NORAD 19-Dec-19 31-Dec-21 NOK 22,500,000 $2,634,352 $2,499,787 -$134,565
FCDO
(formerly DFID) 21-Mar-19 31-Dec-21 GBP 2,250,000 $2,996,005 $2,912,177 -$83,828
Germany 12.Nov.18 31-Dec-21 EUR 1,400,000 $1,590,909 $1,545,678 -$45,232
European
Commission 20-Dec-19 31-Dec-21 EUR 4,000,000 $4,400,440 $4,478,800 $78,360
Total $18,489,118 $18,313,121 -$175,997.00
16Summary of Budget & Key Elements in 2021
The SUN Movement Pooled Fund Interim Financial Report presents estimated expenditures for the project from its start in
2018 up to 31 December 2020. This report represents an update on the Pooled Fund Grants Project expenditures stemming
from the UNOPS electronic reporting system.
From the project’s inception, up to 31 December 2020, the SUN Movement Pooled Fund Grants Project total expenditures are
estimated to be USD 15,003,979: with 67% spent for grants, 7% spent on personnel, 0.4% for communication and .4% for travel.
These figures are based on the actual received contributions from Pooled Fund donors of USD 18,313,121. The total estimated
expenditures disbursed in 2020 was USD 8,319,237 and represents 82% of the total budget. There are no pending contribution
installments and therefore the total budget of USD 18,3m is considered as final as of 31 December 2020.
Please see the table below for a summary breakdown of the total budget and respective year’s expenditure. With the
provisional budget for 2021 allocated for grants which is around USD 3,3million.
Total
Budget
Approved budget provisional
2018 2019 2020 2021 percentage per
2018-2020 budget
category
2018-2021
Window I Cycle 1 -
$3,287,282
Grants $3,383,751 $51,380
Window I Cycle 2 -
$4,262,999
Grants $3,758,393 $309,762
Window I Cycle 3 - $1,053,954 $4,338,492 $6,931,299 79,3%
$2,917,916
Grants $3,068,162 $770,204
Window II Cycle 1 -
$3,312,187
Grants $3,376,261 $730,774
17Window I Cycle 4 -
$750,702
Grants $1,319,503 $345,221
Personnel $1,826,980 $239,249 $413,256 $718,188 $775,000 $2,145,692 11,7%
Communication $92,500 - $9,762 $55,992 $26,746 $92,500 0,5%
Travel $259,000 $16,128 $45,609 $4,419 $19,660 $85,815 0,5%
LMDC $195,000 $65,090 $66,000 $65,000 $63,910 $260,000 1,4%
Fee $1,209,569 $96,126 $341,075 $544,339 $216,486 $1,198,026 6,5%
TOTAL $18,489,118 $1,470,548 $5,214,194 $8,319,237 $3,309,143 $18 313 121 100,0%
● W1C1 total budget of USD3,287,282.16 takes into account a de-obligation amount of USD117,781.00
● W2C1 total budget of USD 3,312,186.07 takes into account less USD61,250 based on W2C1 Grantee forecast submission
● W1C3 (SBN) the total approved is reduced by USD150,245 based on forecasted amount. The balance is reprogrammed to W1C4 overall budget
● W1C4 takes into account the 3 planned agreements (USD149,977) that we will issued end of January 2021
● Total contribution received from donors USD18,313,121,08
Summary of Budget Revisions and Proposed 2021 Budget
UNOPS estimates that cumulative expenditure for all grant cycles (2018 - 2021) will be per the total budget. The Pooled Fund
budget has regularly undergone budget versions to reflect new contributions and decisions made by the Consultative Group.
The proposed 2021 budget takes into account the planned expenditure and forecasts received from Pooled Fund beneficiaries
(grantees) where they cannot fully absorb awarded grant budget. The Pooled Fund Team regularly requests such forecasts as
good practice for planning and monitoring purposes. The overall proposed budget aligns total contributions received from
Pooled Fund donors, variance from expected budget to actual budget (currency fluctuation), and significant adjustment
(reduction) travel budget that takes COVID reality into consideration. A description of the budget is organised by funding
Window and Cycle, in the order in which the Call for Proposals was launched.
18Window 1 - Cycle 1 - Civil Society Alliances
In its first Call for Proposal, UNOPS awarded 21 grants agreements in the total budget of USD 3,287,282. UNOPS has disbursed
a total of USD 3,235,903 for this initial cohort of beneficiaries and is conducting the close-out process for the remaining
contracts. Recipients in this Cycle were offered top-ups to their project budgets for sustainability and COVID response and
recovery purposes.
Window 1 - Cycle 2 - Civil Society Alliances
In its second Call for Proposal, UNOPS awarded 19 grants agreements for a total amount of USD 4,262,999. UNOPS has
disbursed a total of USD 3,953,237 for this cohort of beneficiaries, as they reach the last milestone of their contracts. Recipients
in this Cycle were offered top-ups to their project budgets for COVID response and recovery purposes.
Window 2 - Cycle 1 - Multi-Stakeholder Platforms
The total expenditure reflected also includes the payments to the 12 beneficiaries under Window 2 - Cycle 1 in support of MSPs.
These agreements were signed in Winter 2019-2020. Of the 12 beneficiaries, the remaining 6 organisations signed their
contracts and received their first payments in early 2020. The total amount budgeted for this funding window is USD 3,312,187,
out of which a total of USD 2,581,412 has been disbursed. Recipients in this Cycle were not offered top-ups to their project
budgets due to the high award value of this Cycle.
Window 1 - Cycle 4 - Continuation Grants to Civil Society Alliances
In 2020, 9 CSAs signed continuation grants while an additional 3 CSAs signed their continuation grants in early 2021. With this
proposed 2021 budget revision, UNOPS will be able to fund the remaining 3 applicants for a total budget USD 750,702, out of
which USD 405,481 is disbursed.
Window 1 - Cycle 3 - SUN Business Networks
In early 2020, UNOPS signed and distributed its first instalment to WFP in support of SUN Business Networks. The total
amount budgeted for this funding window is USD 2,917,916, out of which a total of USD 2,147,712 has been disbursed.
19Personnel
In 2018, the Pooled Fund Grants Project was comprised of three core personnel: Grants Analyst, Monitoring and Evaluation
(M&E) Specialist and the Pooled Fund Grants Coordinator. In 2019, with the approval of the Consultative Group, the Pooled
Fund Team added four additional resources to meet operational demands due to the increase in number of grant recipients.
At the end of 2020, the Pooled Fund Grants Project spent approximately USD 1,370,693 in the personnel category. UNOPS
management has projected a total of USD $775,000 for the personnel budget in 2021, which would comprise of 11.7% of the
total project budget.
Travel
Due to the pandemic, total travel expenditures are estimated to be USD 66,156. Thanks to the tenacity of the Pooled Fund
Team, the Monitoring & Evaluation Specialists have dedicated much of their time in the second half of 2020 to conducting
virtual monitoring visits. This important exercise is expected to continue in 2021. Travel will continue to be severely limited in
2021. Travel restrictions notwithstanding, USD 19,660 has been reserved in the 2021 budget for travel in hopes that some travel
to site visits, regional workshops, or to headquarters is possible. On-the-ground missions will be prioritized for countries where
the pool fund will still be ongoing (with at least 3 months to close out) and where significant issues were identified and
capacity building requests highlighted.
Communications & Visibility
The total budget for Pooled Fund communications & visibility remains unchanged. Out of the total project budget of USD
92,500, an estimated USD 65,754 has been spent with more to come this year. Communication activities significantly
increased in 2020, as the Pooled Fund Team engaged launched the development of its website to host project documents
and to use as a knowledge-sharing space. Project funds also went to translating products related to the new Call for Proposals
as well as editing, proofreading, and web content development. Funding for this category in the 2021 budget will go toward
the graphic design and editing of the project-by-project impact stories, development and translation of the Pooled Fund 2020
Annual report, and other core project documents.
20Locally Managed Direct Costs (LMDC)
UNOPS charges direct costs for the management of the Pooled Fund Grants Project. Direct costs include various costs directly
incurred by UNOPS to host the SUN Movement Pooled Fund Grants Project. Examples of these are operating costs of the
portfolio management team and a ratio of costs for central support services such as office spaces, utilities and securities. The
direct costs over the past 3 years have totaled USD 196,090, and will continue to be charged annually and at the same flat rate
this year, for a 2021 budget of USD 63,910.
Indirect Costs
The total indirect costs charged by UNOPS across all contributions amounts to an estimated USD 981,540, charged at the
same annual rate of 7% of the previous year’s total expenditures. In 2021, the team estimates indirect costs will amount to USD
216,486.
21Annexe: 2021 Pooled Fund Workplan
Objective 2021 Objectives 2021 Outputs 2021
No. Timeline
1 [Project Management] The ● 59+ reports are reviewed and payment is processed according February –
Pooled Fund Team to UNOPS and Pooled Fund guidelines. December
ensures good stewardship ● The remaining 40+ beneficiary contracts are closed out.
of public funds and ● The Consultative Group is briefed about the close-out and final
effective close-out of the decision on reimbursement/return of unspent budget balance (if any)
Pooled Fund in SUN 2.0 in November 2021
2 [Project Monitoring & ● 8 remaining virtual monitoring missions are conducted with January –
Evaluation] The data Pooled Fund beneficiaries. June
generated by the Pooled ● Bilateral calls are conducted with 9 Pooled Fund beneficiaries
Fund is shared and from Window 1 - Cycle 4.
incorporated into the SUN ● Grant management/reporting/close-out webinars are
Movement’s outcomes for conducted for all remaining active Pooled Fund beneficiaries.
knowledge sharing and ● Midterm review of Window 1 - Cycle 4 is conducted.
learning. ● Monthly updates reviewed and synthesized on a quarterly basis
until close-out (3 syntheses).
223 [Communication] SUN ● The Pooled Fund Website is translated to French and Spanish. January –
Countries, networks, ● The Pooled Fund Website features individual impact stories of December
donors, and Pooled Fund each Pooled Fun project per country.
beneficiaries are cognizant ● The Pooled Fund Website becomes a knowledge hub for
of the value and impact of project data.
the Pooled Fund grant and ● The 2020 Annual Report captures the achievements of grant
each other’s beneficiaries.
achievements. ● Monthly e-newsletter articles and social media engagement
increases the visibility of the Pooled Fund and in-country networks.
4 [Knowledge Management] ● 4 additional Lesson Learning Series workshops to promote January –
The data generated by the peer-to-peer learning among beneficiaries. December
Pooled Fund is shared and ● The SUN Movement Secretariat and SUN Coordinator are
incorporated into the SUN debriefed on data gathered from the Virtual Monitoring Missions in at
Movement’s outcomes for least 3 Knowledgement Management sessions.
knowledge sharing and ● A dissemination webinar at the closure of Pooled Fund/SUN
learning. Movement 2.0 will share the lessons-learned.
5 [Visioning] A transparent ● Together with the Pooled Fund Team, the SUN Movement January -
and participatory Secretariat facilitates and supports the process to design Pooled Fund June
development of the new 3.0 (Specific objectives, size, scope).
Pooled Fund for SUN 3.0. ● The Pooled Fund Team makes a final list of “at-risk” Civil Society
Alliances, in collaboration with the Civil Society Network Secretariat.
● In collaboration with UNOPS and the SUN Movement
Secretariat, collect data on various funding models and designs to
facilitate implementation discussions.
● In collaboration with the SUN Movement Secretariat, document
inputs from SUN governing bodies on Pooled Fund design &
implementation that link to the Strategy & Roadmap 3.0.
23Annexe: List of Pooled Fund beneficiaries
Window 1 Cycle 1 (Grant value: USD 3.4 million, Total number of grantees: 21)
Bangladesh Concern Worldwide
Alliance de la Société Civile pour l'Intensification de la Nutrition au
Benin
Bénin
Burundi Concern Worldwide
Cameroon Helen Keller International
Alliance Sahelienne de Recherches Appliquées pour le
Chad
Développement Durable
El Salvador Centro De Apoyo De Lactancia Materna
Ghana Hunger Alliance of Ghana
Kyrgyzstan Alliance of Civil Society for Nutrition and Food Security
Liberia Action Against Hunger
Centre Sahélien de Prestation, d’Etudes, d’Ecodéveloppement et de
Mali
Démocratie Appliquée
Myanmar Save the Children
Namibia Synergos Namibia Trust
Nigeria Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria
Papua New
Save the Children
Guinea
Senegal Eau Vie Environment
Somalia Peace Action Society Organization for Somalia
Somaliland ANPPCAN-SOM
South Sudan Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere International, Inc.
Sri Lanka World Vision Lanka
Sudan Addition for Disasters Assistance and Development
Sudan Talawiet Organization for Development
Window 1 Cycle 2 (Grant value: USD 3.7 million, Total number of grantees: 19)
Afghanistan Action for Development
Action Contre La Faim on behalf of Réseau de la Société civile pour la
Burkina Faso
Nutrition Burkina Faso
Cambodia Helen Keller International
Côte d'Ivoire Action Contre La Faim
Ethiopia Save the Children
24Guinea
Conseil National des Organisations de la Société Civile
(Republic of)
Indonesia Nutrition International
Kenya Nutrition International
Madagascar Action Contre La Faim
Malawi Civil Society Organizations Nutrition Alliance
Mozambique Helen Keller International
Nepal South Asia Infant Feeding Research Network
Niger Collectif TUN (Tous Unis pour la Nutrition)
Pakistan Nutrition International
Peru Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere International, Inc.
Philippines International Institute of Rural Reconstruction
Tanzania Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania
Zambia Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance
Window 1 Cycle 3 (Grant value: USD 2.1 million, Total number of grantees: 13)
Bangladesh The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Cambodia World Food Programme
Côte d'Ivoire World Food Programme
El Salvador World Food Programme
Ethiopia The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Guatemala World Food Programme - New addition
Honduras World Food Programme - New addition
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition -
Kenya
Original Scope; Implementation Starting 2021
Lao PDR World Food Programme
Nigeria The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Madagascar World Food Programme
World Food Programme -
Malawi
Original Scope; Implementation Starting 2021
Mozambique The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition - New addition
Nepal World Food Programme - New addition
Pakistan The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Senegal World Food Programme
Sri Lanka World Food Programme
25Tanzania The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Uganda World Food Programme
Window 1 Cycle 4 (Grant value: USD 749,951, Total number of grantees: 15**)
Cambodia Helen Keller International
South Sudan CARE International
Namibia Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia
Sri Lanka World Vision Lanka
Ghana Hunger Alliance of Ghana
Kenya Nutrition International
Liberia Action Against Hunger
Madagascar Action Contre La Faim
Senegal Eau Vie Environnement
Cameroon Helen Keller International
Sahelienne de Recherches Appliquées pour le Développement
Chad
Durable
Centre Sahélien de Prestation, d’Etudes, d’Ecodéveloppement et de
Mali
Démocratie Appliquée
Pakistan Nutrition International - Unfunded, selected applicant
Centro de Apoyo de Lactancia Materna - Unfunded, selected
El Salvador
applicant
Peru CARE Peru - Unfunded, selected applicant
Window II Cycle I (Grant value: USD 3.4 million, Total number of grantees: 12)
Bangladesh The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Costa Rica Food and Agriculture Organization
Ethiopia Ministry of Health
Guatemala Fundacion De La Caficultura
Kyrgyzstan Alliance of Civil Society for Nutrition and Food Security
Malawi Civil Society Organizations Nutrition Alliance
Nigeria Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria
Senegal World Food Programme
Sierra Leone FOCUS 1000
Tanzania The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
Vietnam Save the Children
Zambia National Food and Nutrition Commission
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