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Application process



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1. Eligible countries submit proposals and/or progress reports

All eligible countries (<US$1,000 GNI/capita in 2003) are invited to submit proposals for GAVI support. Approved countries are required to submit annual progress reports. The proposals and progress reports must be received at the GAVI Secretariat by agreed dates, set annually. Different forms of GAVI support can be applied for independently.

Countries are strongly encouraged to prepare their proposals and progress reports in collaboration with national partners. GAVI partners at country level are required to sign the proposals and progress reports, usually through an Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC) or the Health Sector Coordinating Committee (HSCC), or its equivalent, thereby indicating their endorsement of the information provided.

Proposals and progress reports are screened by the GAVI Secretariat for eligibility and completeness. Thereafter, each proposal and report is pre-assessed by a WHO expert group which looks at consistency of information, validity of data and conformity with the comprehensive Multi-Year Plan (cMYP). Written feedback is provided to the Independent Review Committee (IRC) for use in considering proposals.

2. The Independent Review Committee (IRC) reviews proposals and or/progress reports

The IRC provides objective, expert advice to the GAVI Alliance Board on country proposals and progress. There are three different IRC teams. They convene separately in Geneva and at different times of the year:

  • The IRC team for new proposals for Immunisation Services Support (ISS), Injection Safety (INS) and New Vaccine Support (NVS)
  • The IRC team for new proposals for Health System Strengthening (HSS)
  • The IRC team for monitoring Annual Progress Reports.

The candidates for the IRC are selected by the GAVI Executive Secretary after consultation with the GAVI Working Group and are then submitted to the GAVI Alliance Board for endorsement. The selection criteria are: broad expertise in health with specific knowledge of vaccines and immunisation; independence from GAVI Alliance partners; and integrity. Due regard is paid to sourcing members from as wide a geographic field as possible.

IRC teams review country proposals and progress reports in accordance with the policies established by the GAVI Board and following specific criteria for eligibility.

All IRC team members sign a confidentiality and conflict of interest statement. Members are excluded from discussions regarding their own countries and/or countries for which they have assisted in the preparation of an application for GAVI support.

  • 2a. The IRC new proposal teams for NVS, ISS and INS review country proposals and make recommendations. They make technical comments and suggestions and recommends one of four outcomes to the GAVI Board:
  • Approval
  • Approval with clarifications – some details or numbers may have to be clarified and a decision subsequently taken by the GAVI Secretariat, usually within a month.
  • Conditional approval – deficiencies in one or more major areas; response to conditions to be reviewed again by the IRC new proposals team at a later round.
  • Resubmission – major deficiencies or incomplete proposals. Full re-submission and new review at a later round required.
  • 2b. The IRC new proposals for HSS team makes recommendations on new applications for HSS. Based on their review of country proposals the IRC makes technical comments and suggestions and recommends one of the four outcomes to the GAVI Board:
  • Approval
  • Approval with clarifications – some details or numbers may have to be clarified and a decision subsequently taken by the GAVI Secretariat, usually within a month.
  • Conditional approval – deficiencies in one or more major areas; response to conditions to be reviewed again by the IRC new proposals team at a later round.
  • Resubmission – major deficiencies or incomplete proposals. Full re-submission and new review at a later round required.
  • 2c.The IRC monitoring team makes recommendations on progress reports. Receipt of satisfactory annual progress reports is a condition for continued support from GAVI. Progress reports are also pre-reviewed by WHO and UNICEF experts to check data consistency and calculation of vaccine requests.

    Based on their review of progress reports, the IRC monitoring team makes technical comments and suggestions and recommends one of three outcomes to the GAVI Board:

    • Continue to provide support;
    • Request clarifications before continuing to provide support;
    • Request resubmission of the report (or part of it) as insufficient information has been provided.

    The IRC has no formal decision-making power on behalf of the Alliance. Therefore the IRC recommendations are fowarded by the GAVI Secretariat to the GAVI Board for decision.

3. Recommendations to the GAVI Alliance Board

The IRC recommendations – for both new proposals and continued support – are forwarded by the GAVI Secretariat to the GAVI Board for decision.

4. Recommendations to the GAVI Fund Executive Committee

Currently, programmes are either funded directly by the GAVI Fund, which channels money from donors, or by the GAVI Fund Affiliate, which channels money raised in the capital markets by IFFIm (the International Financial Facility for Immunisation) into GAVI programmes. The GAVI Fund Board decides which funding vehicle to use for each programme. If funding is channelled through the GAVI Fund Affiliate, the GAVI Fund Board submits a request to the GAVI Fund Affiliate Board.

5. Funding directly to countries

For countries receiving cash support (Immunisation Service Support - ISS or Health Systems Strengthening - HSS) money is transferred directly from the GAVI Fund or the GAVI Fund Affiliate bank account, depending upon which entity is funding the programme, to an ICC-approved bank account in the country.

6. Funding for procurement of vaccine and supplies

For countries receiving vaccines and/or safe injection supplies, money is transferred directly to UNICEF Supply Division to procure the needed items. UNICEF Supply Division is then responsible for arranging delivery with the country.

7. Technical support from GAVI technical partners

GAVI Alliance and other partners that provide technical support to countries include WHO, UNICEF, bilaterals such as USAID, and other technical agencies and civil society organisations including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Children’s Vaccine Programme at PATH. These partners either currently sit on the GAVI Board or have in the past. Technical support is provided for, among other things, immunisation programme assessments and the development of long-term plans, preparation of GAVI proposals and progress reports, and ongoing implementation of programmes.