Understanding Country Coordinating Mechanisms

A Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM)

A Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) is the national body responsible for submitting funding requests to the Global Fund and overseeing the implementation of grants. CCMs are structured to bring together a range of key stakeholders, ensuring balanced representation across regions in the country, genders, expertise, and sectors, while promoting meaningful engagement from all.

The role of the CCM includes:

• Coordinating the development of the national funding request
• Nominating the Principal Recipient
• Overseeing the implementation of approved grants
• Approving reprogramming requests when necessary
• Ensuring alignment between Global Fund grants and other national health and development programs

Each CCM is expected to engage all stakeholders including civil society and communities of people living with or affected by HIV, TB, and malaria, including women and key populations, ensuring their input is heard throughout the grant lifecycle. This ongoing engagement is vital to improve the delivery of programs and services and making sure that civil society and community needs are reflected in decisions.

Regional Coordinating Mechanisms (RCMs) or Regional Organisations (ROs)

The Global Fund also makes funding available on a regional or multi-country level. Regional or multi-country applicants can either be a Regional Coordinating Mechanism (RCM) or a Regional Organization (RO). RCMs are coordination mechanisms at the regional level, representing more than one country. RCMs are subject to the Eligibility Requirements and are eligible for CCM funding.

Non-CCMs

In exceptional situations, the CCM may not be in the position to carry out its core functions to fulfill the Eligibility Requirements. In such cases, the Global Fund could accept “non-CCM” funding requests where compliance with the Eligibility Requirements is not required, provided that those exceptional circumstances such as in countries without a legitimate government; or in countries in conflict, facing natural disasters, or in complex emergency situations (identified by the Global Fund through reference to international declarations such as those of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs); or countries that suppress or have not established partnerships with civil society and non-governmental organizations. These circumstances include a CCM’s failure or refusal to consider a civil society or non-governmental organization proposal, particularly those targeting highly marginalized and/or criminalized groups.

CCM Eligibility Requirements

There are six requirements for CCM eligibility for funding, which are based on the CCM’s core functions (Eligibility Requirements).

CCMs must meet each of these Eligibility Requirements to be eligible for Global Fund financing.

Requirement 1: The Global Fund requires all CCMs to: Coordinate the development of all funding requests through transparent and documented processes that engage a broad range of stakeholders, including CCM members and non-members, in the solicitation and the review of activities to be included in the funding request; and clearly document efforts to engage key populations in the development of funding requests.

Requirement 2: The Global Fund requires all CCMs to: Nominate one or more PR(s) at the time of submission of the funding request(s);
Document a transparent process for the nomination of all new and continuing PR(s) based on clearly defined and objective criteria; and
Document the management of any conflicts of interest that may affect the PR(s) nomination process.

Requirement 3: Recognizing the importance of oversight, the Global Fund requiresall CCMs to submit and follow an oversight plan for all Global Fund approved financing. The plan must detail oversight activities, and must describe how the CCM will engage program stakeholders in oversight, including CCM members and non-members, and in particular non-government constituencies and Key Populations.

Requirement 4: The Global Fund requires all CCMs, based on epidemiological as well as human rights and gender considerations, to show evidence of membership of:

• people that are both living with and representing people living with HIV;
• people affected by and representing people affected by tuberculosis and malaria; and
• people from and representing Key Populations

Requirement 5: The Global Fund requires all CCM members representing non-government constituencies to be selected by their own constituencies based on a documented, transparent process, developed within each such constituency. This requirement applies to all non-government members, including those members selected pursuant to Requirement 4 above, but not to multilateral and bilateral partners.

Requirement 6: To support CCMs’ leadership role of setting a tone and example of abiding by the highest standards of ethics and integrity, the Global Fund requires all CCMs to:

• Approve and adopt the Code of Ethical Conduct for CCM Members;
• Develop or update, as necessary, and publish a Conflict of Interest Policy that applies to all CCM members, alternates, and CCM Secretariat staff; and
• Enforce the Code of Ethical Conduct and apply the Conflict of Interest Policy throughout the life of Global Fund grants.