Project grant agreement between the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) and the United States of America for the INCAP institutional strengthening project

The project will fund short-term TA, training, and commodities, as well as sharply declining levels of salary, operational, and administrative costs in order to strengthen INCAP"s strategic planning and management, technical capabilities, and financial resource development. The strategic planning and management component will help INCAP develop: (1) a strategic planning and management system, including annual operating plans and a system for monitoring and evaluation; (2) accounting/financial management information systems; and (3) an information management system that meets scientific and technical as well as management and financial needs. Secondly, INCAP"s technical capabilities will be upgraded in at least six specific areas: Vitamin A; food planning, economics, consumption, and surveillance; operations research; applied anthropology; health/nutrition communications; and breastfeeding and infant feeding. Activities to this end will include staff support and training as well the establishment of Technical Advisory Committees. This component will also promote technology transfer by upgrading the knowledge and skills of INCAP"s in- country teams, improving INCAP"s laboratory facilities, and expanding its Vitamin A delivery program. Finally, the financial resource development component will increase INCAP"s capacity to raise revenue through such sources as (1) program funding from international agencies, universities, and foundations etc.; (2) constituent support; and (3) cost recovery (including sales of products and services). The component will improve INCAP"s capabilities in market analysis, client needs assessment, project development, and the like. In addition, INCAP will analyze the feasibility of establishing an endowment fund.