Transparency at GAIN IATI

Introduction

Working with donors, research institutesand other stakeholders including public and private sector partners to reduce malnutrition globally, GAIN has a responsibility to be accountable tothose who make our work possible.

GAIN has developed a Framework for Transparency which outlines how we share information internally and externally. Our approach addresses information sharing, privacy and business and governance practices to improve transparency of corporate decision-making through the full, accurate, and timely disclosure of information. Our IATI disclosure forms a part of our Framework for Transparency and is the primary focus for this working paper.

Our Approach to IATI

Aligned to our Framework for Transparency and ourcommitment to improve transparency, GAIN will regularly publish and publically share data on our spending through the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI). Using an organisational approach, GAIN will embed IATI and track our progress through:

Organisational Oversight

Led by the Chief Financial Officer and comprising senior managers from all departments at GAIN, the Value for Money (VFM)working group has been renamed and tasked with steering organisational understanding and adherence to GAIN’s Framework for Transparency including IATI compliance. Reporting to the Executive Director and senior Directors, the VFM and Transparency working group terms of reference has been amended to incorporate IATI reporting and wider transparency, thereby ensuring and strengthening organisational commitment to this important area of our work.

Systems and Information Capture

GAIN will use new upgrades and system implementations in Navision, Awardvision and Jet Enterprise to ensure that we can extract data in a relevant format as efficiently as possible. GAIN’s current accounting and evaluation systems provide sufficient granularity to ensure transparent understanding of our activities. GAIN has already invested in specific systems that enable greater transparency and has the necessary infrastructure to ensure IATI compliance with the new implementation of Awardvision (and subsequent system upgrades).

Communication

GAIN will comply with our IATI obligations and communicate internally and externally by:

Integrating data into the IATI website
Publishing IATI data on our website
Including IATI in our financial statements
IncludingIATI as a summary in our management reporting
Reviewing IATI data during VFM and Transparency working group meetings as a way to improve learning and make further recommendations

Published IATI Data

One challenge will be to ensure that the multiple data sources link to provide understanding of our activities within the organisation in a meaningful way to external users. As GAIN is using organisational resources to produce information that meets IATI compliance, good VFM practice will aim to use the information to: generate insight and new learning; improve program delivery and promote the organisation to a wider internal and external audience rather than include information only at a transactional level.

GAIN will upload IATI data on a quarterly basisusing the IATI format:

Reporting Organisation
IATI activity identifier
Agency language
Activity Description
Activity Status [PHASING]
Activity Dates (Start Date)
Activity Dates (End Date)
Activity Contacts
Participating Organisation (Funding- donor type)
Participating Organisation (Funding name)
Participating Organisation (Implementing)
Recipient Country
Recipient Region
Sector (DAC CRS)
Sector (Agency specific)
Default Flow Type
Default Aid Type
Activity Budget
Planned Disbursements
Financial transaction (Commitment)
Financial transaction (Disbursement & Expenditure)
Financial transaction (Incoming Funds)
Provider-org/provider-activity-id (incoming funds transactions)
Receiver-org/ref (outgoing/disbursement funds transactions)
Transaction Type

Exclusion Statement

GAIN is committed to making full disclosure of its project and programmeinformation through IATI. Our Framework for Transparency guides GAIN’s practices for information sharing and non-disclosure of information will be in place where:

the safety or security of our partners or staff would be put at undue risk;
confidentiality agreements have been agreed or imposed by our partners or donors;
data or Information is commercially sensitive.

Initial Submission

Data for the quarter ending December 2014, will be collated and submittedwithin twelve weeks and thereafter quarterly. IATI submission will include projects funded by all donors and activities except those which are undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements.

Review and Reflection: Future Improvements

GAIN will review internal processes to ensure IATI data collated enables and contributes to organisational transparency.

Whilst our approach to transparency and IATI compliance represents the first steps, we will continue to improve our data to ensure we are producing relevant, useful and timely data to external customers. We will review our IATI submissions after the first three submissions to the IATI system to capture our learning and make improvements before the end of 2015.

Source: Bond website

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IATI Summary Project Plan

Key steps towards to ensure IATI regulations are embedded within the organisation are in place and many related activities will be in the background to ensure compliance.

Task / Outcome / October / November / December / January / February / March
Discussion with Operations/Key Senior Managers / IATI Understood, Plan and Remit Agreed
Upload requirements understood - Finance/IS / Technical Requirements Document written (FP/VT)
Requirements captured for Awardvision implementation / Codes,etc
Data Extract / Draft dataset, based on 2013/14 annual accounts / Wk 3
Test Data Upload > IATI / Test upload
Data Extract - December Data / Wk 4
Data Validation/Review - December Data / Wk 1
IATI Submission #1 / Wk 4

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