Building Alliances for Local Advancement, Development and Investment - Capacity Building (BALADI CAP) Quarterly Report

The program focused on supporting civil society organizations (CSOs) in developing their capacity to implement policies and procedures compliant with USAID rules and regulations. Implementation trackers were used to measure the status and degree of implementation of BALADI CAP-supported policies and procedures by CSO partners. Current implementation/compliance levels ranged from 50 to 100% for Alpha organizations. The Rene Moawad Foundation (RMF) approved its M&E policies and procedures, and the Caritas Board of Directors approved three out of five recommended financial management policies and procedures. The BALADI CAP team conducted an internal M&E mid-term performance evaluation, which included field visits, staff interviews, data and project report reviews, and an online survey of Cohort 1 CSO partners. The results of this evaluation will be produced in the first quarter of year 3. Under the new Civic Engagement for Democratic Governance (CEDG) component, the BALADI CAP team published a Request for Applications (RFA) to solicit potential CEDG implementing Intermediate Support Organization (ISO) candidates. The Muhanna Foundation (MF) submitted an application and proposal in response to this RFA. The BALADI CAP team worked closely with MF to improve elements of its technical and cost proposals to ensure that they met project requirements and objectives. By the end of September, MF was approved to commence contract negotiations with the expectation that proposal negotiations could be finished at the field level by October 25, 2015. The political and security context in Lebanon remained challenging during the quarter. Ongoing security threats disrupted the relative calm that prevailed in the country, with minor security incidents concentrated in the Bekaa and South governorates. The Lebanese Security Forces (LSF) remained vigilant about thwarting terror plots, carrying out raids across the country in search of terror suspects. Anti-government demonstrations swept the capital in response to the country's garbage crisis, prompting protestors to demand government resignation over failure to ensure consistent delivery of public services. Despite police-enforced roadblocks and anti-protest security measures, demonstrations turned violent on numerous occasions, as riot police clashed with activists participating in anti-government rallies. Negotiations are currently ongoing between the government and environmental activists, with the latter requesting that local authorities be given a larger role through the decentralization of the waste management sector. The number of Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) dropped by 5.22% by the end of August. However, the security implications of the Syrian refugee crisis continued to pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region. The Lebanese government and international community continued to work together to address the humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees and to support the development of host communities. The BALADI CAP program continued to work closely with its implementing partners, including the Muhanna Foundation, to support the development of their capacity to implement policies and procedures compliant with USAID rules and regulations. The program also continued to monitor the political and security context in Lebanon and to adapt its activities accordingly.