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National Grants Committee raises awareness on grants reporting obligations |15 June 2020

National Grants Committee raises awareness on grants reporting obligations

Participants listening to one of the presentations (Photos: Thomas Meriton)

• 17 project coordinators get training

 

As parts of its strategy to enhance adherence to reporting obligations, the National Grants Committee (NGC) hosted a half-day session for seventeen project coordinators of organisations that have been awarded funding under the National Grants Scheme (NGS).

The information session, held on Saturday, brought together project coordinators from seventeen (17) not-for-profit organisations. The presentations were facilitated by members of the National Grants Committee. Topics covered ranged from Overview of National Grants by Eline Moses (chairperson); Roles & Responsibilities of Project Coordinators by Betty-Mai Sofa; Cash Flow Management by May-Paul Marengo (vice- chairperson); Project Implementation Plan by Roseline Houareau; Grants Projects Manager to Performance Progress Report with focus on reporting on activities/outputs and outcomes of projects by Brian Hoareau.

During the introduction, project officers were informed that the Committee has found it necessary to conduct an information session to better familiarise project coordinators of their responsibilities in ensuring effective administration of the grant, project performance, information management, timely submission of reports, media coverage and liaising with stakeholders.

The facilitators emphasised a lot on accountability and the need for continuous monitoring of resource use, production efficiency, and project implementation progress as well as non-financial monitoring of output and outcome results, ultimately ensuring that all projects are completed on time, within budget and meet expected objectives and outputs.

The National Grants is a financing scheme of the Ministry of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning that provides funding for not- for-profit organisations through the Social Programme of Central Government in the Annual Budget. Twenty NGOs benefited under the 2020 National Grants for the approved sum of R6,967,429.00 to support projects geared towards the country’s National Development Strategies and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To date R3,591,131.42 equivalent to 52% of the approved amount has been disbursed.

According to the chairperson, Ms Moses, “the NGC recognises the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the implementation of projects and that grantees may experience difficulties achieving some of the outputs or outcomes, approved under the National Grant and may need to re-adapt activities. However, no project funds should be used for COVID-19 activities as government has special programmes organised by different ministries, departments and agencies and the National Grants funds was not appropriated for that purpose. It is within this context that the grantees has had to submit a revised implementation plan which is currently being analysed at NGC level. The Committee is working with the grantees in a most feasible way to accommodate the changing circumstances while ensuring that the organisations do not deviate from the approved project objectives”.

All projects are supervised by the NGC and monitored/administered by the grants projects manager, Roseline Houareau. In addition, the grants projects manager and where necessary with support from the National Grants Committee will engage with projects by meeting with applicants, conducting visits to understand how the project is progressing, identifying any challenges being experienced and how risks are being managed and to offer support and guidance where necessary.

It is anticipated that the information session will enhance the capacity of the project coordinators in the preparation of their mid-year progress report (due on July 15, 2020) which will be used for assessing and approving the next disbursement. Disbursement is not automatic but based on performance. Thereafter, grantees would submit an end of year report.

Participants commended the NGC for the initiative and expressed their appreciation for support provided by the NGC during the implementation phase of their respective projects.

The NGC reaffirmed its commitment to effectively and efficiently manage the NGS as per its mandate and called upon all project coordinators to ensure appropriate management of cash flow, effective monitoring of projects and adherence to reporting obligations. 

For this training, the following organisations were present: The Association for Promotion of Solid Human Families (APSHF), Everlasting Love Ministry (Elm), HIV Aids Support Organisation (Haso), Les Li Viv, Love and Care Association, Nurses Association (Nars), Seychelles Scouts Association, Seychelles Stroke Foundation, Seychelles Alzheimer’s Foundation, Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Foundation (SSTF), Seychelles Bible Society, Survival Ark Foundation, Seychelles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (SSPCA), Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S), UN Youth Seychelles, Up-Brigade and Women In Action & Solidarity (Waso).

 

Vidya Gappy

 

 

 

 

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