Japan Social Development Fund

1
Japan Social Development Fund

• Briefing Session FY09
• Yolaine Joseph, PTO
• May 12, 2009

2
JSDF Briefing Overview

• Introduction
• JSDF Regular Program
• Purposes
• Grant Types
• Country eligibility
• Changes in FY09
• GFR Application Form
• Selection Criteria
• Ineligible Activities/Expenditures
• Pointers what to remember when working on the
  proposal
• Japanese Visibility
• Common Reasons for Rejection of Proposals

3
JSDF Briefing Overview (contd)

• Concept Note
• JSDF Seed Fund
• Case Studies of Approved and Rejected Proposals
• Most Common Issues and Bottlenecks in Project
  Design and Implementation
• Example of Well-Designed Projects in Other
  Regions
• Reference and Contact Information

4
Introduction

• The Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) was
  established by the Government of Japan and the
  World Bank. It is an untied grant facility
  providing grants in support of innovative social
  programs to help alleviate poverty in eligible
  client countries of the World Bank Group.

5
JSDF Regular Program Purposes

• JSDF projects are expected to
• Encourage the testing of innovative methods that
  are new or alternative approaches at the project,
  country, or regional level, or that facilitate
  new partnerships or assist new target groups.
• Support initiatives that lead to developing
  sustainable outcomes through the adoption or
  scaling-up of the pilot project.
• Directly respond to the needs of marginalized,
  vulnerable or disadvantaged groups.
  Marginalization may be a function of location,
  gender, age, ethnicity, physical fitness.
• Build ownership, capacity, empowerment and
  participation of local communities,
  nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other
  civil society groups

6
JSDF Regular Program Grant Types

• Project Grants
• Small-scale projects, which may be scaled up to
  benefit the poorest
• Use of innovative and demand-driven methods to
  encourage participation.
• Capacity Building Grants
• Strengthen local communities, local governments,
  local institutions and/or NGOs
• Promote collaboration between local governments
  and communities
• Improve decision-making and accountability of
  local communities.

7
JSDF Regular Program Country Eligibility

• All low-income countries and lower middle-income
  countries, as defined in the 2008 World
  Development Report, are now eligible for both
  Project Grants and Capacity-Building Grants.
• Upper middle income countries are not eligible
  for JSDF grants.
• The list of countries eligible for JSDF grants
  appears on the JSDF website and in the JSDF
  database. It was also attached to the call for
  proposals.

8
JSDF Regular Program Changes in FY09

• Allocation increase of 60 from FY08, to US80
  million
• Maximum grant size increase from US2 million to
  US3 million
• Allocation available in FY09 Round 28 37
  million, including 10 million for Africa
• Introduction of three special allocations for
  Africa including North African countries
• Agricultural development
• Participatory school management, and
• Enhancement of health management and health
  services
• GFR Introduction
• Seed Funds
• JSDF regular program
• Mandatory use of the RE code

9
JSDF Regular Program GFR Application Form

• Grant Funding Request (GFR) proposal replaces the
  JSDF Lotus Notes database template
• GFR content is largely similar to the previous
  templates content, with some changes in the
  structure
• GFR can be accessed by typing GFR in the URL
  (GFR website)
• GFR windows
• 4907 Regular Program Recipient-executed grants
• 4908 Regular Program Bank-executed grants (for
  Incremental Bank Costs)
• GFR includes
• Basic data tab
• Description tab (Grant development objectives and
  grant-financed activities)
• Outcomes tab
• Components tab
• JSDF Specific tab
• Processing tab and
• Allowed Expenses
• Grant supplementary information includes
• Bank incremental costs
• Rationale and participatory approach
• Sustainability
• Safeguard issues

10
JSDF Regular Program GFR Application Form
(Contd)

• Linkage to RE code is not mandatory at the time
  of proposal submission. It is, however, mandatory
  after donor approval.
• Risk Assessment Sheet is a mandatory attachment
  to the GFR, and template is to be made available
  in the application.
• If Incremental Bank Costs are requested, a
  separate GFR needs to be prepared, but not
  submitted until donor approval.

11
JSDF Regular Program GFR Application Form
(Contd)

• Linkage to Bank operation/strategy
• Grant implementation arrangements
• Consultation with Other Development Partners
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Risks affecting grant implementation
• Financial arrangements
• Disbursement arrangements
• Additional obligations
• Cost table includes procurement method
• Technical reviewers comments.

12
JSDF Regular Program Selection Criteria

• Direct benefits to the poor using innovative
  mechanisms
• Direct participation of community groups, local
  governments and/or NGOs in grant preparation and
  implementation to encourage long-term sustainable
  development
• Exit strategy and mechanism for long-term
  sustainability
• Outcome/impact indicators, including mechanisms
  to monitor progress and measure outcomes
• Programs which complement Bank-financed
  project(s), either under preparation or
  implementation and
• Commitment and ownership of the Recipient.

13
JSDF Regular Program Ineligible
Activities/Expenditures

• Scaling up of already piloted activities
• Activities which are being or can be funded under
  Bank Group loans/credits or from other sources
• Activities normally funded under Bank Group
  budgets or by other donors for preparation of
  Bank-financed projects, including technical
  assistance for these activities
• Preparation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
  or other technical assistance for poverty
  monitoring activities.

14
JSDF Regular Program Ineligible
Activities/Expenditures (contd)

• Academic research
• Land acquisition
• Purchase of motor vehicles
• Government salaries and
• Foreign training or study tours.
• Note UN agencies may not be direct recipients of
  JSDF grants

15
JSDF Regular Program - Pointers

• Make sure to discuss the proposal with the
  Japanese Embassy in the field.
• JSDF activities should help the poorest and most
  fragile groups in the eligible countries.
• JSDF activities should promote collaboration with
  civil society, local governments, NGOs, etc.,
  strengthen partnerships with these groups, and
  learn/share experiences.
• Steering Committee and GoJ pay particular
  attention to Participation, Innovation,
  Sustainability and Risks sections of proposal.

16
JSDF Regular Program Pointers (Contd)

• JSDF activities should be compatible with the
  development objectives set out in the CAS, PRSP,
  and/or poverty reduction elements of Sector
  Strategies.
• JSDF provides grant funds and, thus, should
  broaden the scope of Bank-financed projects (and
  not supplement Bank-financed projects or the
  Recipients budgets, including those provided by
  other donors for the preparation of
  loans/credits). Grants should pioneer new and
  innovative mechanisms which cannot be financed
  through loans or credits.
• Write enough, but not too much. Limit background
  general information.
• Always keep in mind the purposes of the JSDF
  while preparing the proposal participatory
  preparation, demand-driven, bottom-up approach,
  assisting the target population as directly as
  possible.

17
JSDF Regular Program Japanese Visibility

• Bank task teams are asked to help promote the
  visibility and local awareness of JSDF in
  recipient countries through the following types
  of activities
• The logo (usually the Japanese national flag)
  should be used
• Encourage recipient to invite Japanese embassy to
  grant signing ceremonies
• Recipients should be encouraged to ensure that
  JSDF-financed activities are well covered by
  local print and electronic media
• Press releases issued with respect to JSDF grants
  should refer to the financial contribution from
  the Government of Japan.

18
JSDF Regular Program Reasons for Rejection

• Some common reasons for rejection of JSDF
  proposals
• Proposal does not fit the JSDF criteria, e.g.,
  participatory preparation, innovation, direct
  assistance to marginal and most vulnerable
  populations
• Grant takes a top-down rather than a bottom-up,
  demand-driven approach
• Too much technical assistance (especially
  international) not related to training which
  assists beneficiaries directly
• Grant funds activities that can be funded from
  other sources, e.g., the associated Bank project,
  ongoing social fund or CDD operation in the
  country, other donors
• Grant-funded project would scale up activities
  already piloted elsewhere, rather than piloting
  them itself
• Funding requested for ineligible activities or
  items.

19
JSDF Concept Note

• Before starting the formal application, the TTL
  should seek preliminary feedback on proposals by
  submitting a Concept Note by email to the JSDF
  Unit, briefly describing the activities to be
  funded.
• The deadline for the Concept Note submission is
  May 20, 2009.
• The template for the Concept Note is available on
  the JSDF Website.
• Upon receiving the note, the JSDF Unit will
  provide guidance to the task team on the
  consistency of proposed activities with JSDF
  criteria and make suggestions for improvement
  before the team commits its time to preparing a
  full-scale application.

20
JSDF Seed Fund

• Objective To support the preparation costs of
  proposals specifically for participatory
  discussions with civil society groups so JSDF
  proposals are designed for maximum effectiveness
  and sustainability.
• Output Well-developed JSDF Grant proposal.
• Country Eligibility Same as JSDF Regular Program
  grant eligibility.
• Maximum Amount US50,000.
• Implementation Period Maximum 12 months from
  approval (status report is expected within six
  months of approval).
• Submission Requests should be submitted through
  GFR. GFR window number for Seed Fund is 378.

21
Case Studies

• Four Case Studies
• Approved Proposals
• Case Study 1 Colombia - Institutional and
  Community Strengthening for Local Governance and
  Development
• Case Study 2 Yemen - Promoting Socioeconomic
  Inclusion of a Marginalized Community
• Rejected Proposals
• Case Study 3 Senegal - Effectiveness of
  distribution of micronutrient products to
  Senegalese young children
• Case Study 4 Cameroon - Producer Organizations
  Market Information System (PROMIS)

22
Case Study 1 - Overview

• Case Study 1 Approved Proposal
• Colombia - Institutional and Community
  Strengthening for Local Governance and
  Development
• Amount 1.7 million
• Type Capacity Building

23
Case Study 1 - Grant Objectives

• The grant aims to increase the management and
  technical capacities of municipal governments and
  local communities in the poorest geographic areas
  in Colombia.

24
Case Study 1 Participatory Approach

• Seed funds used to develop proposal and fund
  workshops with participation of governors,
  mayors, municipal staff, and local community
  leaders from municipalities included in project.
• Questionnaire given to community leaders and
  local government representatives asking these to
  identify specific local development needs in
  their area.
• In workshops and subsequent meetings with various
  agencies, concept and specific implementation
  agreements were agreed upon.

25
Case Study 1 - Innovation

• Looks to simultaneously build capacities among
  municipal authorities and local communities
  combined with providing support to the
  identification and implementation of local
  sustainable development
• Brings together two key government agencies
  responsible for municipal development and
  community development, a much needed yet not a
  very common practice.

26
Case Study 1 - Sustainability

• Project activities support improvements in
  technical, administrative, and financial
  capacities of local governments and will lead to
  improvement in supply of public services and in
  ranking of several of the municipalities in
  project area.
• Other organizations have been approached by
  project team and have expressed interest in
  providing resources for an expansion of project
  activities.
• Grant can contribute to creation of a larger
  local development program in Pacific and Atlantic
  coasts and in the Andes region.

27
Case Study 2 - Overview

• Case Study 2 Approved Proposal
• Yemen - Promoting Socioeconomic Inclusion of a
  Marginalized Community
• Amount 1.96 million
• Type Project

28
Case Study 2 - Grant Objectives

• This project aims to 1) To give the Akhdam
  community the means to contribute to their well
  being pro-actively and to enhance their
  socio-economic integration within the existing
  urban settlements (2) To respond to capacity
  building needs of the communities, with a
  specific focus on women and youths, to move
  towards sustainable livelihood,
  skills-development, and income generation (3) To
  foster the professionalization and strengthen the
  role of Akhdam community-based organizations
  (CBOs) to be development actors within these
  communities, (4) To strengthen the relationship
  between these communities, the local government
  and other relevant entities to enable them to
  have some voice.
• The proposal was approved by the SC with some
  comments.

29
Case Study 2 - Participatory Approach

• JSDF seed fund was used to involve communities
  and local CBOs in the preparation of the JSDF
  proposal. Several months of consultations (incl.
  workshops) with 9 slum communities, Akhdam CBOs,
  NGOs, microfinance institutions, foundations,
  training institutions, and the local government
  took place, and the proposal was prepared in
  consultation with these communities.
• Participatory rapid appraisal was also carried
  out with communities by a group of local field
  workers/ Akhdam CBO members.

30
Case Study 2 - Innovation

• This is the first project of this kind in Taiz to
  empower poor urban communities, in particular
  members of the Akhdam community, to be actors in
  their own development, as opposed to simple
  recipients of charity.
• First time these communities were consulted in a
  comprehensive fashion.

31
Case Study 2 - Sustainability

• Emphasis on skill-building and income generating
  projects will enable communities to sustain
  themselves.
• Microfinance component is to be channeled through
  existing microfinance institutions, most of which
  have not yet had the opportunity to work with the
  Akhdam communities.
• Additionally, efforts to involve local actors,
  including local charities and government, can
  contribute to project's financial sustainability,
  particularly in terms of allocating zakat
  (religious tithe), often a source of funding
  going to the poorest communities.

32
Case Study 3 - Overview

• Case Study 3 Rejected Proposal
• Senegal - Effectiveness of distribution of
  micronutrient products to Senegalese young
  children
• Amount 1.88 million
• Grant Type Project

33
Case Study 3 Grant Objectives

• To find more effective ways to respond directly
  to the health needs of the poorest and most
  vulnerable members in disadvantaged communities
  in Senegal in settings all too common throughout
  Africa. Specifically, it aims to test the
  feasibility and cost-effectiveness of home
  fortification (adding micronutrient (MN) powders
  to infants food) with different doses of MN
  through two distribution systems a) six-monthly
  Child Health Days (CHD) and b) community-based
  monthly growth monitoring and promotion program
  (CGP).

34
Case Study 3 Components Description

• Component A Situation Assessment and Monitoring
  Evaluation - A participatory rapid appraisal
  will inform project activities around feeding
  practices, caregiver profiles, knowledge and
  perceptions on micronutrients, and potential
  barriers for use of the MN product.
• Component B Phase I - Testing the Intervention
  and the Delivery Mechanism - Phase 1 will assess
  the feasibility, impact and cost-effectiveness of
  the intervention via two delivery mechanisms.
  The project will build on existing CHD training
  provision for community volunteers, supervisors
  and health workers in the CGP communities. The
  outcomes from Phase I will be used to inform
  adoption of the intervention through the CGP and
  CHD programs.
• Component C Phase 2- Implementing the most
  cost-effective delivery mechanism and promoting
  stakeholder ownership and adoption - Phase 2 will
  focus on implementing the most effective
  intervention identified from Phase 1 and
  promoting stakeholder ownership and adoption for
  future scale up.

35
Case Study 3 Reasons for Rejection

• SC has serious concerns about project.
• As TR2 notes, the risks associated (Section
  4.4.1) with the pilot in providing micronutrient
  (MN) supplements to non-iron deficient children
  seem higher than the "N" recorded.
• If the project led to "increased morbidity and
  mortality" (see component A), this could prove
  highly embarrassing, especially since a Bank
  director is on the Board of the implementing
  agency.
• JSDF is not the right vehicle for testing dosage
  of a product, thus carrying out health research.
  Further, there appears to be only one monopoly
  supplier (Section 4.4.2) of the MN.
• There is a risk that JSDF could be accused of
  directly benefiting a single company in the
  absence of a competitive market.
• It is suggested that task team work with UNICEF
  or a similarly qualified organization to test
  product dosage and children reaction, as Bank
  does not have the right competence. After
  completion of the test, JSDF could be used to
  pilot the delivery mechanisms.

36
Case Study 4 - Overview

• Case Study 4 Rejected Proposal
• Cameroon - Producer Organizations Market
  Information System (PROMIS)
• Amount 1.62 million
• Type Project

37
Case Study 4 - Grant Objectives

• To improve rural farmer livelihoods by (i)
  piloting use of technology to deliver market
  information to vulnerable producers (ii)
  empowering and building capacity among individual
  farmers and producer organizations (POs) and
  (iii) identifying successful Information
  Communication and Technology (ICT) methods to
  improve livelihoods of disadvantaged farmers.

38
Case Study 4 - Components Description

• Component 1 (Creation of agricultural market
  information system for rural producers) will
  pilot the use of Information and Communication
  Technology (ICT) to deliver real-time market
  information to vulnerable agricultural producers.
  The component entails the creation of a market
  information system using a mix of GSM, Internet
  and Radio targeting rural farmers.
• Component 2 (Sensitization and capacity building
  of beneficiaries and producer organizations)
  will make beneficiaries aware of the project
  through a sensitization campaign and develop the
  capacity of producers and their organizations to
  (i) generate the information needed to maintain
  the system and (ii) make effective use of the
  technology and the information available through
  PROMIS.

39
Case Study 4 - Reasons for Rejection

• SC did not consider the project innovative as
  proposed activities have been done under other
  Bank projects. Why cant activities be financed
  under the existing Bank project?
• Project is not targeting poorest and most
  vulnerable groups and risk of elite capture is
  high. This kind of intervention will help all
  farmers who are marketing goods, and the bigger,
  more entrepreneurial farmers, who produce higher
  proportions of output for the market and can
  afford better access to technology - hence the
  high risk that most of the benefits will be
  captured by the elite in the areas focused upon.

40
Most Common Issues Bottlenecks in Projects
Design Implementation

• Insufficient buy-ins at time of project design
  resulting in lack of consensus among stakeholders
• Important for objectives to focus on outcomes
• Miscalculations of project costs
• Avoiding elite capture
• Adequate formulation of KPIs measurement
• Designing an effective ME system

41
Most Common Issues Bottlenecks in Projects
Design Implementation

• Need to change legal base of organization or
  legislation (e.g. Tsunami project which never
  became effective).
• Highly complex institutional arrangements when
  projects are cross-sectoral.
• Coordination among ministries and agencies.

42
Example of Well Designed Projects in various
Regions

• Turkey Youth Development and Social Inclusion
• Indonesia Creative Communities Fund
• Indonesia - Poverty Reduction and Women's
  Leadership The "PRIME" Project
• Tanzania - Community-Based Conditional Cash
  Transfer Pilot
• Yemen Healthy Mother Project

43
CFP Website and Contacts

• Bank Intranet Website Address
• www.worldbank.org/jsdf
• Annual Policy Document and Visibility Guidance
  Note
• JSDF Processing Procedures
• Eligible countries list
• Case Law
• Seed Fund Guidelines
• Seed Fund processing procedures
• JSDF Concept Note
• Technical review
• Frequently asked questions
• Processing and Implementation of Japanese Trust
  Fund Grants
• GFR Preparation Instructions

• CFP Contacts
• Yolaine Joseph (x32389)
• Bermet Sydygalieva (x89357)
• Augustina Nikolova (x30861)
• David Potten (x87873)