Capacity strengthening to sustain the HIV response

Across our HIV programming, FHI 360 has partnered with hundreds of local institutions that are involved in addressing the HIV epidemic so they can achieve their mission and fulfill their role in the HIV continuum of care.

Our capacity strengthening support ranges from strengthening internal management systems, to supporting diversification of funding, to optimizing technical programming and strategic information systems.

Local institutions are especially vulnerable to fluctuations in international funding for HIV, which continues to decrease. To enable these local partners to continue their critical role in HIV service delivery, we also work with them to identify sustainable financing options.

Our expertise and approaches

FHI 360’s capacity strengthening support, provided through global and bilateral donor-funded programs, aims to ensure that local partners can implement technically sound and consistently high-quality programming.

FHI 360 uses different models, including working with local civil society organizations through a traditional prime-sub relationship; providing technical assistance only to directly funded local partners; and strengthening the capacity of regional and local partners to become capacity strengtheners themselves.

Providing technical assistance to local partners

FHI 360 works with civil society organizations before and after they obtain U.S. government funding. Our capacity strengthening approach is guided by four mutually reinforcing principles: (a) a focus on speed, scale, standards and sustainability; (b) customization according to local priorities and differentiated needs; (c) adaptive management; and (d) engagement of strong local support.

Ensuring sustainable financing for local partners

Local partners contribute substantially to a country’s ability to implement solutions to address its HIV epidemic. FHI 360 aids these organizations in diversifying financing for their programming outside of traditional funding.

Supporting the transition of direct funding and implementation to capable local partners

To meet USAID and PEPFAR’s goals of providing direct funding to local partners and ensuring that programming is more locally led, we work closely with local partners to bolster their readiness to manage U.S. government funding.