GRANT MANAGEMENT OFFICE(GMO)

The Grant Management Office (GMO) serves as the backbone of the organization’s resource mobilization, grants administration, and donor compliance systems. In an increasingly competitive and highly regulated funding environment, the GMO provides structured support throughout the full grant lifecycle — from the identification of funding opportunities to the final close-out of awards.

During the year under review, the GMO worked closely with Principal Investigators (PIs), Finance, Procurement, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) units, and Executive Management to ensure that projects funded by external donors were developed, implemented, and reported in compliance with donor guidelines and institutional policies. The Office coordinated proposal development, facilitated internal approvals, supported budgeting and financial management, provided compliance oversight, and monitored implementation progress.

The GMO operates through two major functional phases:

• Pre-Award Management – opportunity identification, proposal design, budgeting, submission, and negotiation
• Post-Award Management – activation, implementation oversight, expenditure control, reporting, audit support, amendments, and close-out

Through these functions, the GMO contributes directly to organizational sustainability, accountability, and visibility among funding partners.

Objectives and Mandate of the Grant Management Office

The GMO is mandated to provide strategic, administrative, financial, and compliance oversight for all grants implemented by the organization.

Key Objectives

The key objectives of the GMO are to:

• Strengthen institutional grant acquisition and resource mobilization capacity
• Support the development of competitive, donor-responsive proposals
• Ensure transparent and accountable use of donor resources
• Promote effective coordination among technical, financial, procurement, and administrative units
• Safeguard organizational reputation through strong compliance and audit outcomes
• Enhance sustainability through diversification of the donor base
• Provide leadership in grant risk management and due diligence

Mandate and Core Functions

To meet its objectives, the GMO performs the following functions:

• Pre-award coordination and proposal development support
• Budgeting guidance and financial compliance review
• Donor liaison and contract negotiation
• Oversight of award execution, implementation, and close-out
• Monitoring, audit support, and compliance assurance
• Grants reporting management and submission tracking
• Capacity building for project teams and PIs
• Maintenance of grant registers and documentation systems

Pre-Award Grant Management Narrative

During the reporting year, the GMO coordinated comprehensive pre-award activities to strengthen the organization’s competitiveness in securing grants. Key activities included:

• proactive identification of funding opportunities
• eligibility assessment and Go/No-Go reviews
• coordination of concept notes and full proposals
• budgeting and costing aligned to donor principles
• review for technical and financial compliance
• proposal submission and donor communication
• support to clarification and negotiation processes

These actions enhanced proposal quality and contributed to an expanded grant pipeline.

Post-Award Grant Management Narrative

After successful awards, the GMO coordinated structured post-award management from activation to close-out. Key focus areas included:

• activation of grants, creation of codes, and reporting calendars
• post-award kick-off meetings and implementation planning
• financial oversight and budget control with the Head of Accounts
• compliance monitoring against grant agreements and donor rules
• submission of narrative and financial reports
• coordination of internal and donor audits
• processing of budget realignments and extensions
• preparation of grant close-out and final reconciliations

These measures helped ensure compliant implementation, accountability, and strong donor relationships.

 GMO Workflows and Responsibilities Table:

Key Achievements During the Reporting Year

Major achievements recorded by the GMO include:

• We successfully implemented multiple grants during the reporting period. The NACA grant was executed from December 2023 to December 2024, while the Zocare grant spanned from January 2024 to December 2024. In addition, the Azithromycin grant commenced in January 2024 and is scheduled to run through December 2025. All grants were managed effectively from inception to date, with full compliance to donor requirements and without any operational or financial challenges.
• strengthening of grant management systems and documentation
• increased number and quality of submitted grant proposals
• improved adherence to donor reporting timelines
• successful coordination of donor and external audits
• enhanced collaboration between GMO, Finance, Procurement, and Technical Units
• development of standardized templates and checklists for grant management
• processing of timely amendments and no-cost extensions
• capacity building support provided to project teams

Challenges Encountered

The GMO also faced several challenges during the year:

• exchange rate fluctuations impacting approved budgets
• funding gaps between project cycles affecting continuity

Outlook and Strategic Priorities for the Coming Year

Strategic priorities for the coming year include:

• automation of grant tracking and document management systems
• expansion and diversification of funding sources
• increased training for PIs and project teams on donor compliance
• strengthening of internal controls and risk management
• development of comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs)
• enhanced engagement with donors and strategic partners

Closing Statement

The Grant Management Office remains committed to excellence in grant stewardship, donor accountability, and institutional sustainability. By continuing to strengthen systems, build internal capacities, and foster collaboration across departments, the GMO will further advance the organization’s mission in the coming years.