Robert Carr Fund Annual Report 2022
STRONGER NETWORKS. STRONGER COMMUNITIES
2022, the first year of 2022-2024 grant cycle, was a year of turbulence. Many RCF grantees were still managing the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic while also facing new challenges, from restrictive laws to a humanitarian crisis resulting from an ongoing armed conflict.
Despite these challenges, RCF-funded regional and global networks made impressive strides. Annual Report 2022 presents the key results achieved by the RCF grantees. It also showcases the critical role of RCF’s flexible core funding in supporting this work and ensuring that civil society and community networks emerge stronger and better equipped to lead the HIV response for inadequately served populations (ISPs).
2022 AT A GLANCE
- 24 grantees, including 8 single networks and 16 consortia of networks
- 72 individual networks serving all global regions and ISPs
- $10.4 spent in 2022
- $32.1 million invested in core funding grants over 2022-2024
WHAT DID NETWORKS ARCHIEVE?
STRONGER NETWORKS
All 72 RCF-funded networks reached at least one milestone in making their networks stronger. Most important gains include strengthening their governance and finance systems and building coalitions for collective action.
By the end of 2022, 63 RCF-funded networks (or 88%) had more than one source of funding. Even so, only 17 networks were financially secure and did not depend on a single donor for most of their funding. Funding security remains a critical concern for civil society and community networks in the HIV response.
“MENANPUD could not have engaged at the national and regional levels without core funding of the RCF grant.”
Middle East and North Africa Network of People who Use Drugs
ADVANCING HUMAN RIGHTS
In 2022, 59 RCF-funded civil society and community networks prioritized advancing the human rights of ISPs. They documented human rights violations, brought their advocacy to the UN, and engaged in strategic litigation.
24 networks reported positive policy or practice change as a result of their advocacy or litigation.
There is a direct link between human rights violation and HIV risk. ISPs continue to be disproportionately impacted by restrictive laws and policies that affect their ability to protect their health. In response, the majority of RCF grantees prioritized protecting the human rights of ISPs in 2022.
BETTER ACCESS TO & QUALITY OF SERVICES
In 2022, many people living with or at risk of HIV still face barriers in accessing high quality to HIV and other vital services. Improving service access and quality remains a priority for RCF-funded civil society and community networks.
48 networks worked to improve access to services for ISPs and 41 network advocated for improved quality of services. In 2022, 22 networks reported that their efforts contributed to better access and 13 networks reported improved quality of services resulting from their efforts.
HIV and other life-saving services for ISPs should be available, adequate, accessible, appropriate and affordable. Better quality HIV and other health services for ISPs leads to increased access: people at risk of or affected by HIV are more likely to seek and continue care if services meet their needs, are non-judgmental, and appropriate.
“Without the RCF funding, it is likely that the scope and impact of our activities would have been limited and not as effective in promoting improved harm reduction services across the region”.
Eurasian Harm Reduction Association
FINANCING THE HIV RESPONSE
As community-led HIV response remains critically underfunded, 24 grantee-networks prioritized advocacy for more and better resourcing of the HIV response for ISPs. 5 networks ultimately saw their advocacy contribute to increased funding commitments for ISPs.
Civil society and community-led networks trained their community members to engage in budget monitoring and advocated for ISP needs where funding decisions were made.
WHY IS CORE FUNDING SO VITAL?
RCF grantee data is clear: long-term, flexible core funding is critically important to ISP networks. Overwhelming majority of grantees (60 out of 72, or 83%) relied on RCF core funding to carry out their advocacy activities.
Flexible core funding supports networks to implement their vital advocacy and other programmatic work, most importantly by paying the salaries of expert staff responsible for these activities. It also enables them to build their organizational capacity and sustainability.
Core funding is essential to community-led networks that have been historically underfunded, including networks led by transgender people, sex workers, people who use drugs, and young people from key populations.
HOW WE LINK TO THE GLOBAL FUND
In 2022 RCF began tracking consistently how grantees engaged with the Global Fund. We found that grantees used RCF funding to contribute to Global Fund-supported programs in many ways, including:
- Contributing to core costs of carrying out Global Fund-funded activities, particularly to staff salaries, travel, equipment, and office.
- Supporting communities to engage in Global Fund processes, e.g. COVID-19 Response Mechanism processes at the country level.
- Conducting community-led documentation to inform Global Fund programming.
- Contributing to activities supported by the Global Fund by developing tools, mobilizing partnerships, and in other ways.
- Advocating for replenishment of the Global Fund.
Please download our 2022 Annual Report for more details, explanation of how we measure results, and to access our 2022 financial report.