Who reviews the grants?

The grant applicants are received by the NSAC Secretariat that ensures that the applications are complete and eligible for grants following the eligibility criteria outlined in the project’s operations manual. The applications are then submitted to the project’s independent grant-making committee (GMC) for their review. The GMC is comprised of civil society representatives and government representatives that were selected by an independent panel.

The GMC alone is responsible for selecting finalists based on the following rating criteria:

• Demonstrated experience implementing governance projects;
• Well-articulated analysis of local context, including problem statement and relevance of proposed social accountability approach;
• Clear and logical implementation strategy;
• Clearly articulated outcomes;
• Clear plan for state and non-state stakeholder consultation and engagement;
• Connections to grassroots organizations; and
• Reference from a partner organization or donor.

Following the GMC’s review, The Asia Foundation undertakes organizational and financial assessments to ensure that the applicants have the necessary management systems to implement the grant.

How was the Grant Making Committee (GMC) selected?

GMC candidates were identified by a search committee composed of representatives from the Royal Government of Cambodia, the World Bank, The Asia Foundation, and Cambodian civil society represented by the NGO Forum. The candidates were confirmed by His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng. Before the formation of the committee, all GMC members were required to sign a code of conduct, committing to professional principles, such as selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, confidentiality, openness, honesty, and leadership.

To further ensure the integrity of the grants selection process, a recusal policy is in place to guide committee members on issues of actual or perceived conflicts of interest. These guidelines offer clear instructions to GMC members on how to remove themselves from the decision-making process in the event of a conflict of interest, safeguarding the proper functioning of the GMC as an independent, decision-making body.