USAID Mission Organizational Development Support (MODS) Monthly Operational Status Report January 1 – January 31, 2021

The project is implemented by Dexis Consulting Group and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The MODS project focuses on organizational development and capacity building, with the goal of fostering ownership and locally-led development. The project is comprised of four business areas, including support of the Annual Program Statement (APS) process, institutional strengthening support to APS recipients, support for the Mission in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between USAID/KEA and Prosper/Nawiri county governments for Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR), and technical assistance to existing local Kenyan entities that partner with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC). In January 2021, the MODS team received communication from the USAID LDO Activity Manager indicating that the USAID Mission Director had directed MODS and the USAID Yetu Activity to have 25 registered LDOs by the end of June 2021. The MODS team was required to develop a joint roadmap for the LDO development with Yetu. The USAID MODS COP, Yetu Project Director, the USAID LDO Activity Manager, and the USAID MODS COR worked on a joint LDO strategy and roadmap that was presented to various stakeholders for input. Key takeaways from the USAID Front Office meeting with the LDO Secretariate included the need to shorten timelines by running activities concurrently, reviewing trusts versus other options for registration of LDOs, and considering the involvement of County Liaison Teams (CLTs) in counties without existing CLTs. Next steps included kicking off co-creation activities in Kisumu, Kiambu, and Kakamega Counties, developing Work Orders (WOs) for the remaining Prosper and Nawiri counties, and identifying consultants for the new LDO co-creation WOs. On January 14, 2021, USAID MODS successfully held a virtual follow-up meeting with the Kisumu APS applicants. The USAID MODS team worked in collaboration with the USAID CLT and the LDO Secretariat to prepare for this meeting. All 12 civil society APS pre-selected applicants were represented in the meeting, and the MODS team provided technical assistance and support to the applicants. The MODS project also provided technical assistance to existing local Kenyan entities that partner with PEPFAR and OGAC. At least 70 percent of PEPFAR awards were to be transitioned to local partners by September 2020, requiring re-positioning in USAID's PEPFAR programming to work directly with local partners. USAID MODS worked to address the capacity needs of local partners through provision of capacity building technical assistance. The MODS project is expected to contribute to the goals of USAID's Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR) by improving transparency, accountability, and performance of local organizations, and supporting the USAID County collaborative framework development and implementation. The project's success will depend on the effective implementation of its four business areas and the ability to address the capacity needs of local partners.