Feature story

The Global Fund launches new funding model to support countries in responding to HIV, TB and malaria

01 March 2013

The new model announced by the Global Fund will focus on countries with high disease burden and low resources.
Credit: The Global Fund to fight AIDS. Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) has recently launched a new funding model for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The launch follows a three-year period where funding for the three diseases was halted due to insufficient funds and calls for reforms of the institution and its business model. In this new wave of funding the Global Fund has announced that up to US$1.9 billion could be available in 2013 and 2014.

This is welcome news to the countries which have been most affected by HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and which have been struggling to produce truly effective responses due to a lack of funding. The new model announced by the Global Fund will focus on countries with high disease burden and low resources, allowing the Global Fund to support the countries with the most serious epidemics and least ability to pay.

“This new funding model will bring critical additional resources to the AIDS response,” said Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director of Programme. “UNAIDS is looking forward to continue working with the Global Fund to ensure that these resources are available to countries rapidly for scaling up HIV treatment and prevention services.”

UNAIDS is looking forward to continue working with the Global Fund to ensure that these resources are available to countries rapidly for scaling up HIV treatment and prevention services

Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director of Programme

The model focuses on strategic investments whereby applications will need to be based on solid scientific evidence using the best epidemiological data to determine where the investments will make most impact. The Global Fund has also announced that the new funding model will be firmly focused on results and that the countries which are producing high impact, well-performing programmes will be able to apply for additional funding on top of their initial allocation.

As well as investing more strategically to maximize on results, the new funding model will provide more predictable funding. All eligible applicants will receive an indication of the funds that will be made available for a three-year allocation period. This will allow for better planning as countries will have a good idea of what funds will be coming to them over the next years. They will then be able to seek funding from this allocation when it suits them best, according to their own national planning cycles. 

The new funding model is expected not only to provide countries with more flexibility with the timing of their funding requests but also to encourage a solid country dialogue around coherent, strategic and high impact investments and strengthened national strategic plans. Each recipient country will be expected to engage a diversity of partners, including civil society, to ensure the most effective and inclusive response to each of the three diseases.