Transparency at GAIN – IATI
Introduction
Working with donors, research institutes and other stakeholders including public and
private sector partners to reduce malnutrition globally, GAIN has a responsibility to
be accountable to those 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 our commitment 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:
1. 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.
2. 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).
3. Communication
GAIN will comply with our IATI obligations and communicate internally and
externally by:
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Integrating data into the IATI website
Publishing IATI data on our website
Including IATI in our financial statements
Including IATI 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 basis using the IATI format:
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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
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Exclusion Statement
GAIN is committed to making full disclosure of its project and programme information
through IATI. Our Framework for Transparency guides GAIN’s practices for
information sharing and non-disclosure of information will be in place where:
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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 submitted within
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.
1. Assess
4.
Publish
Publish
Data
5.
Improve
3.
Design
2.
Commit
Publish
Schedule
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
Discussion with Operations/Key Senior
Managers
Upload requirements understood - Finance/IS
Requirements captured for Awardvision
implementation
Outcome
IATI Understood, Plan and Remit
Agreed
Technical Requirements Document
written (FP/VT)
Data Extract
Codes,etc
Draft dataset, based on 2013/14 annual
accounts
Test Data Upload > IATI
Test upload
October
November
December
January
February
Wk 3
Data Extract - December Data
Wk 4
Data Validation/Review - December Data
Wk 1
IATI Submission #1
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March
Wk 4
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