CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES - CRS (DPG)

THE 3-YEAR GRANT WILL FINANCE TECHNICAL ADVISORS AND TRAINING SEMINARS. TECHNICAL ADVISORS WILL INCLUDE 3 PLANNERS, 5 RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORS, AND 1 HEALTH EDUCATION ADVISOR. THESE WILL BE DIVIDED AMONG THE 5 CRS REGIONS: CENTRAL AMERICA/CARIBBEAN, SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, MID-EAST/NORTH AFRICA/SOUTH ASIA, AND EAST ASIA/PACIFIC. TOGETHER WITH CRS REGIONAL STAFF, ADVISORS WILL FORM A REGIONAL-LEVEL SUPPORT TEAM PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO CRS AND COUNTERPART STAFFS AT THE COUNTRY LEVEL. THE REGIONAL TEAMS WILL VISIT SELECTED PRIORTIY COUNTIRES IN THEIR REGION, REVIEW ONGOING COUNTRY PROGRAMS, ASSESS RURAL NEEDS AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES, ASSIST IN CREATING A COUNTRY PLAN SUPPORTED BY INDIVIDUAL PROJECT PROPOSALS, AND DEVELOP EVALUATION/MONITORING MECHANISMS. 12 REGIONAL SEMINARS AND 19 COUNTRY-LEVEL SEMINARS ARE PLANNED. 345 CRS STAFF AND 380 COUNTERPART STAFF ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE. GRANT-FUNDED CONTRACTOR WILL ASSIST CRS IN REVISING THAT PORTION OF THE CRS "MANUAL FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT" WHICH PERTAINS TO PROJECT DESIGN, MANAGEMENT, AND EVALUATION. CRS-FUNDED TECHNICAL OFFICER AT CRS HEADQUARTERS WILL SERVE BOTH AS A SYSTEMS DESIGN CONSULTANT AND AS A PROJECT MANAGER TO MONITOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FIELD. THESE INPUTS WILL RESULT IN THE DESIGN OF 22 INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AS WELL AS REDESIGNED SYSTEMS FOR PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. PROGRAMS DESIGNED WILL BE DIRECTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH ATTITUDINAL CHANGE, PROMOTION OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURES (PRIMARILY AT THE VILLAGE LEVEL), AND SECTORAL EMPHASIS ON FOOD, NUTRITION, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. BY THE END OF THE PROJECT, 60% OF CRS FUNDS FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WILL BE ALLOCATED THROUGH THE PLANNING SYSTEM. THE NUMBER OF CRS PROFESSIONAL STAFF TOTALLY DEDICATED TO DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING AT HDQTRS & REGL LEVEL WILL INCREASE FROM 13 TO 25.