The Funders Forum, held every two years, provides a platform through which participants: 

1.  discuss and exchange views about the CGIAR;

2.  endorse the SRF proposed by the Consortium every six years;

3.  endorse an approach to address cost-sharing of System Costs;

4.  provide feedback to the Consortium and the Fund Council on the implementation of the SRF based on progress reports received from the Consortium and on the mid-term independent evaluations of the SRF;

5.  provide feedback to the Fund Council on funding issues based on reports from the Fund Council;

6.  review a financing plan for CGIAR prepared by the Fund Office in consultation with the Trustee and the Consortium following establishment of the CGIAR Fund; and

7.  review shortfalls or imbalances in resources available for CRPs, so that individual funders may consider adjusting or augmenting their allocations.

Funders Forum Participants

All entities that are Fund Donors eligible for Fund Council representation, all non-donor entities that are Fund Council Members, all countries hosting the headquarters of a CGIAR Center, and all Bilateral Funders contributing at least US$ 500,000 each of the previous two calendar years to fund implementation of the SRF may participate in the Funders Forum.  Additionally, the Co-chairs of the Funders Forum may invite participants from among the CGIAR’s internal and external stakeholders, including potential funders, to attend the Funders Forum.

The first Funders Forum  convened on July 15, 2010, to consider for endorsement the first Strategy and Results Framework, developed by the Consortium of the CGIAR Centers, for the new CGIAR. The first Forum also reviewed and endorsed the proposal on cost structure and financing plan for system-wide functions developed by the Consortium in conjunction with the Fund Council.  The Fund Council  is the Fund’s decision-making body.  A second Funders Forum is planned for October 2012