Tunisia is taking steps to strengthen domestic financing for community-led HIV responses by creating an opportunity for civil society organizations (CSOs) to apply for government funding.

For the first time, the Ministry of Finance of Tunisia has committed to allocating resources to the Ministry of Health to support community-led HIV responses. Through this mechanism, CSOs will be able to apply for government funding to implement HIV-related activities.

As Tunisia prepares for this new financing opportunity, civil society organizations need the knowledge and practical skills required to navigate government funding processes.

Supporting the Transition Toward Domestic Financing

Before this initiative, there was no established mechanism through which CSOs could access government-allocated funding for community-based HIV responses, and domestic financing for HIV programs implemented by CSOs was largely unavailable.

Under the MC MENA III Grant, the Tunisian Association for the Fight Against Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS (ATL MST-SIDA), as a Sub-Recipient (SR) of the grant, has been supporting CSOs to strengthen their readiness to participate in this process.

These efforts have contributed to broader work aimed at strengthening the sustainability of Tunisia’s national HIV response and reducing reliance on external donor funding, including in preparation for the eventual phase-out of Global Fund support.

ATL’s support has also focused on helping participating CSOs understand and respond to the practical requirements of government financing.

Through social contracting support, participating organizations received assistance in proposal development, budgeting, navigating government requirements, and completing the proposal templates required for submission to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance.

ATL MST-SIDA says the process has helped organizations move from understanding domestic public financing as a concept toward developing the practical capacity needed to engage with it.

“Through ATL MST-SIDA’s social contracting work, participating CSOs have moved from simply understanding the concept of domestic public financing toward developing practical readiness to access it.” - ATL MST-SIDA

Participating organizations reported having strengthened their ability to assess their financing needs, cost their activities, prepare required documentation, and understand how their community-based expertise can contribute to the national HIV response.

The development of the Practical Guide on Social Contracts has also provided CSOs with a reference to support their preparation for future government financing opportunities.

As a result of these efforts, ATL MST-SIDA supported the preparation and submission of three funding dossiers to date.**

Why Domestic Financing Matters for Sustainability

Strengthening the ability of CSOs to access domestic public financing can support the longer-term sustainability of community-based HIV services in Tunisia.

CSOs contribute to HIV prevention, testing and linkage to care, PrEP, harm reduction, human rights support, and community-led monitoring. Strengthening their access to public financing can support the continuity of these services and reinforce their role within the national HIV response.

“Strengthening CSOs’ ability to access domestic public financing is essential because the sustainability of Tunisia’s HIV response depends on maintaining community-based services that effectively reach key populations.” - ATL MST-SIDA

While the funding process is still underway, participating CSOs have already gained practical experience in preparing proposals and budgets and navigating government financing requirements.

According to ATL MST-SIDA, funding from the Ministry of Finance is expected to expand to the broader health sector next year rather than remain restricted to HIV. The experience gained through the current process may therefore support participating organizations in engaging with future public financing opportunities.

As a Sub-Recipient under the MC MENA III Grant, ATL MST-SIDA continues to support civil society organizations in strengthening their capacity to participate in Tunisia’s national HIV response and engage with emerging domestic financing opportunities.

As Principal Recipient of the MC MENA III Grant, EMPHNET works with Sub-Recipients and partners across the region to support implementation and strengthen sustainable, community-led HIV responses.

** The application process remains ongoing, and the submission deadline has not yet passed. No final decisions regarding approval or funding have been made at this stage.