Governance and Transparency Fund

A new global programme for FAN

Fourteen FAN members from Africa, Asia and Central America have embarked on an exciting new multimillion pound five-year initiative – the Governance and Transparency Fund (GTF)  – designed to improve the accountability and responsiveness of governments and service providers in the water and sanitation sectors.

Governance and Transparency Fund writing contest

Share your learning!!! Get your story in print for a chance to win $250 to support your GTF work with an advocacy workshop or training. Find out more about the competition in English, French or Spanish.

Where did the GTF come from? 



 


In 2006 the UK Department for International Development (DFID) published a White Paper on International Development, Eliminating world poverty: making governance work for the poor, which set out UK government plans on global poverty elimination through 2011.

 

The report focused on what FAN members know from direct experience – that governance (the capability, accountability and responsiveness of the state)* is a key component of (or obstacle to) poverty reduction.

 

The report recognized that effective, well governed states protect people's rights and provide services and further articulated that such governance is not merely about the state alone, it includes the engagement between governments, civil society organizations and service providers. Building such governing relationships, the report concludes, takes time and has to come from within countries.

 

The report led DFID to make an innovative investment of £130 million over five years with their new initiative - the Governance and Transparency Fund (GTF).

 

Nearly 40 NGOs and networks (including FAN and WaterAid) working in various development and advocacy areas will share this funding. The most exciting innovation of GTF is that 85% of the funding is required to go directly to local partners in developing countries.

What does this mean for FAN?

FAN and WaterAid have partnered on a GTF portfolio in 16 countries with 28 partners (FAN members and WaterAid's southern partners). The portfolio is focused in particular on the Accountability and Responsiveness elements of the new CAR (Capability, Accountability and Responsiveness) framework.

 

"Beyond drilling boreholes and constructing latrines, this is a way to really catalyse the sector!" explains Papa Diouf, the new GTF Manager responsible for leading and supporting the GTF programme, "The partners are a really diverse bunch bringing their own strengths. The GTF programme will support them to develop their work more effectively, develop systems and make links." 

 

FAN's global consortium members, ANEW, FANSA and FANCA have key roles to play in the management and coordination of the programme and building the regional dimension of the work. The programme will build their capacity to share relevant expertise and play an even stronger regional and global leadership role.The FAN Secretariat will also play an important supporting role in the implementation of the programme.