Final evaluation of the National Council for International Health (NCIH) AIDS initiative (cooperative agreement DPE-5929-A-00-1010-00)

The project was implemented by the National Council for International Health (NCIH). The NCIH/AIDS program has met nearly all objectives and has expanded and substantially improved the primary functions of an international PVO network for AIDS financed under previous grants. NCIH/AIDS has been a visible and supportive component of the AIDS Technical Support Program (ATSP) and its members. AIDSLINK is a unique and well appreciated newsletter with satisfied readership both within and far beyond the AIDS community. The NCIH network database is now much more complete and useful. Expanded NCIH E-mail capacity allows for frequent use of the database, rapid responses to network queries for information, and a "modern" means to gather information from around the world for policy and decisionmaking purposes. The annual workshop, seminars, and less formal meetings organized by NCIH/AIDS have focused on important topics of interest to network members but have also brought together communities and interest groups that do not normally work together. Finally, NCIH/AIDS has aggressively represented its membership and promoted their views to policymakers and influential leaders in Washington and in international fora with demonstrably positive results. Results are more mixed in meeting the new program objective of strengthening NGO network capacity. NCIH provided timely assistance to fledgling NGO networks and developed positive and trusting relationships with sensitivity. NCIH support was effective in preparing funding proposals and providing access to donors; co-sponsoring or facilitating conferences, workshops, and strategic planning meetings; and publicizing the very existence and work of these new networks and their programs. NCIH also provided effective leadership in forming temporary and sometimes permanent coalitions of networks to address common PVO and NGO issues and to gain access to international decisionmakers. NCIH was less successful in providing or facilitating traditional "capacity building" support to these networks as envisaged in the grant proposal. Successful NCIH support has been more as "extended network support" than capacity building, in part because the former is what NCIH knows and does well as an association. There has been little success in using PVOs to transfer capacity building skills to these regional networks. At this point it is difficult to know how sustainable these regional networks will be or what their roles will be in the future. Their positive relationships with NCIH are somewhat undercut by a total project staff turnover within the last year. And unfortunately, NCIH has been unsuccessful in its first attempt to become a financial intermediary between USAID and a regional network -- potentially an important step in solidifying USAID financial support for some network activities. NCIH/AIDS leadership and staff have been extremely energetic, innovative, and resourceful in carrying out a large number of key home office functions as well as in expanding relationships and program activities around the world. Impressive accomplishments have been achieved amid heavy turnover and periodic vacancies in the small staff of three. Recent board and executive leadership interest in attracting and retaining more experienced staff at NCIH is very welcome. NCIH"s improved financial health would help to relieve tension between NCIH and project staff. NCIH leadership should strive to agree upon organizational objectives that encompass both the traditional NCIH services to its broad international health network and special project or disease-specific objectives, such as AIDS and Women"s Reproductive Health. NCIH should explore opportunities for core staff to provide support to the AIDS program in areas such as electronic network operation and maintenance, fundraising, workshop logistics and planning, and newsletter production. USAID project management had been quite positive and supportive until recent staff turnover. However, USAID is probably as much at fault as NCIH in the extraordinary delay in finalizing the Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations (APCASO) subgrant. (Author abstract, modified)