The Dominican Republic has made important strides towards an AIDS-free generation . While HIV prevalence in the Dominican Republic continues to be almost double the average for the Latin America and Caribbean countries, it has fallen rapidly over the last 15 years from the peak in the early 2000s.

A key success factor has been the active engagement of CSOs. Since many of these organizations are born out of the very communities that are affected by HIV, they have evolved to be at the heart of the national response. The Dominican Republic has seen the rise of specialized CSOs working with vulnerable and marginalized groups, those that are often disproportionally burdened by the HIV epidemic and face stigma. Because they can build trust and work on the ground with their peers, CSOs have access to communities that would otherwise not be reached by the national HIV program, such as sex workers, trans people, gay and other men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and Haitian migrants. CSOs serve as an interface between public services and these groups, and use differentiated approaches that reflect their diversity.

Over the last 15 years, the civil society space has flourished as donor funds for HIV-related activities abounded. These funds have often been contingent on CSO engagement and advocacy to ensure that the voices of affected communities are being heard, and their needs effectively addressed. Combating stigma and defending human rights are core competencies of CSOs, but many of them also engage in outreach, prevention and access to treatment.

At the same time, the government of the Dominican Republic has started to recognize the important work performed by the more than 200 CSOs currently involved in the HIV response. This recognition came in the form of updates to the legal code as well as financial commitments to fund CSO operations. In fact, there are now more than a dozen sources of public funding available to CSOs working on HIV. These range from the Center for CSO Promotion, a government institution dedicated to grant-making to CSOs, to agreements with Provincial Governments, to co-management arrangements with the Ministry of Health

Despite these positive strides, the country is still grappling with how to put the work of CSOs on a sustainable path moving forward. This question is increasingly pressing as several international donors currently supporting the national disease program have announced their gradual withdrawal, potentially leading to disruptions in HIV programming and services provided by the CSOs, who thus far have benefitted from, and in some cases relied on, external monies. At the same time, despite the numerous public funding sources that have emerged, access can be difficult.

As CSOs explore ways to stay afloat, they find themselves scratching their heads: if all of these public funding sources are available, then why is it so hard to actually receive funding from the government? And why is there no guidance on how to compete for public funding? To address these challenges, Aceso Global in partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria worked with CSOs in the Dominican Republic on understanding the public funding landscape, and building their capacity to compete for public grants and other funding.

First, we examined how the qualification and application processes for public funding actually work in the Dominican Republic. Which documents do CSOs need to submit, when and where? What are the different steps involved, and their timelines? Where can CSOs go for additional information? Ask government officials, and you will likely get different answers. As we soon discovered, the necessary information exists, but is scattered across different websites, departments within the Ministry of Health and even individuals in charge of specific processes. Often, relevant information is not available in a user-friendly format at all. We also noticed that there are many repetitive steps required to apply for funding, and that some guidelines are contradictory.

Our Mapping document and its accompanying factsheets (in Spanish) organized the scattered information in one readily accessible location, and streamlined existing guidelines into an easily digestible format. It provides the CSOs with a clear picture of the administrative steps required to qualify for public funding.

During the process, we also became keenly aware that CSOs range considerably in their experience and capacity. While some already compete successfully for public funding, others are just beginning to set up the systems and structures required to comply with public funding requirements. Further capacity building can improve CSOs’ competitiveness for public funds. How do you write a compelling proposal? What are do’s and don’ts in project planning and execution? How do you set up the M&E systems to show what you have accomplished through government funding? Is there a more effective way to promote your services, both to government entities and other domestic funders? These are some of the questions CSOs are facing, and training in these areas based on our material will allow CSOs to move from being passive recipients of donor funding to active promoters who can effectively sell their services to the government and other sources of support.

These organizations provide valuable services in healthcare and human rights, beyond what government is able to provide on its own. They are critical to the long-term sustainability of the national response to HIV/AIDS and deserve a boost from training and support to strengthen their leadership role in the Dominican Republic.