Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) | 0012020

Opportunity Information: Apply for 0012020

The Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) grant opportunity is a PEPFAR-funded small grants program administered by the U.S. Embassy in Harare, focused on improving the quality of HIV treatment services in Zimbabwe by systematically collecting and using client feedback. The basic idea is that trained community members gather both quantitative and qualitative information about how HIV services are experienced at health facilities, then bring those findings into structured discussions with providers and facility managers so problems can be identified, addressed, and tracked over time. The opportunity is designed to strengthen access to and delivery of quality HIV care and treatment by boosting health literacy, encouraging people to seek services, supporting demand creation (especially around HIV testing services and viral load testing), and increasing accountability within the health system.

The program is national in scope but intentionally grounded at the provincial and facility level. PEPFAR aims to support at least one CLM initiative in each of Zimbabwe's 10 provinces, while also coordinating results at the national level through an Advocacy Core Team (ACT). ACT will convene a national CLM steering committee and serve as its secretariat, working alongside PEPFAR, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and the National AIDS Council. A key feature is quarterly national-level review of feedback coming in from all stakeholders, including CLM small grant recipients, to help identify recurring barriers to HIV treatment uptake and persistent service delivery problems that need system-level attention.

At the implementation level, grantees are expected to monitor multiple parts of the HIV service experience using standardized tools, without duplicating routine data already collected by PEPFAR or the health system. The monitoring focus includes HIV testing services (HTS), HIV treatment services (with particular attention to retention and viral load), provider perceptions and practices, and overall client satisfaction. Data are then synthesized in ways that reveal practical insights about what is working and what is not at facilities. Results are meant to feed into ongoing dialogue between community representatives and facility leadership, leading to jointly agreed solutions and follow-up actions rather than one-off complaints. The grant emphasizes that monitoring should be routine and continuous so improvements can be sustained and tracked over time.

The opportunity lays out concrete deliverables for funded organizations. These include: collecting and documenting facility- and community-level challenges using standardized tools; conducting monitoring across HTS, treatment, provider attitudes/practices, and client satisfaction; running or supporting demand creation activities for HTS and viral load testing; participating in existing facility feedback structures such as health center committees; helping establish feedback meetings where none exist; conducting site-level advocacy, including the use of social contracts with duty bearers; sharing results monthly with PEPFAR and other stakeholders along with actionable recommendations; and participating in regular coordination meetings, including monthly sessions with the PEPFAR CLM Task Force and quarterly meetings with the national steering committee. Grantees will use defined models and tools such as a community scoping tool, a community treatment observatory model and related instruments, and a digital app that produces scorecards and dashboards for analysis and presentation.

Eligible applicants are registered, Zimbabwe-based, not-for-profit entities whose work centers on HIV programming and community engagement. This includes local community-based organizations and civil society groups, networks representing key populations, people living with HIV, people with disabilities, traditional community groups, faith-based organizations, and public or private educational institutions. A major restriction is that PEPFAR-funded implementing partners or sub-awardees that currently provide site-level service delivery are not eligible to apply, reflecting the program's intent to keep monitoring independent from service delivery implementers. Additional eligibility requirements include being formally registered with the Government of Zimbabwe, having a track record of successful program implementation, and maintaining an established office in the province of application for at least 12 months prior to submission. Organizations may apply to cover more than one province, but can receive only one CLM award.

From an administrative standpoint, applicants must be prepared to meet standard U.S. government grant compliance requirements. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, and applicants are expected to start registration early because validation can take weeks. To receive an award, organizations must have a unique entity identifier (DUNS/FUNS as referenced in the notice) and maintain an active SAM.gov registration. The application package requires the standard federal forms SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B, and applicants must follow the posted instructions closely because non-compliant proposals can be ruled ineligible.

Applications are reviewed by a technical review panel and a Grants Review Committee using a point-based scoring system that emphasizes both program quality and organizational readiness. The evaluation criteria weigh: the quality and feasibility of the CLM implementation concept (25 points), including clarity on where monitoring will occur and how inclusive it will be; organizational capacity and grants management history (25 points), including staffing expertise, internal controls, financial management, banking, and past international funding performance; program planning and likelihood of achieving objectives (15 points), with positive consideration for proposals that sub-grant to smaller neighborhood groups; budget quality and realism (10 points), with attention to detailed justification and cost-effectiveness; a monitoring and evaluation plan (15 points) that includes indicators, milestones, measurement timing, and sub-award monitoring if applicable; and sustainability and collaboration (10 points), including the ability to continue beyond one year and evidence of effective partnerships with national stakeholders such as MOHCC, NAC, UNAIDS, the Global Fund, and USG entities.

Key funding details included in the notice indicate a grant instrument, an award ceiling of $25,000, and an expectation of around 15 awards. The opportunity is listed under the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe (CFDA 19.029), with the original posting dated October 23, 2020 and an original closing date of November 20, 2020 (with the notice indicating it would be posted on other platforms for 45 days). For direct questions, the point of contact provided is PEPFAR-Harare-CLM@state.gov.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community-Led Monitoring (CLM)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.029.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 23, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 20, 2020 NOFO will be posted on other platforms for 45 days.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 0012020

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