Roles and Responsibilities

The Fund Office is the support unit of the Funders Forum, the Fund Council, and their respective Chairs.

On support to the Fund Council, the Fund Office assists the Fund Council and its Chair in the conduct of the Fund Council’s business.  These include:

1. Managing relations with Fund Donors;
2. Drafting background notes and papers as requested by the Fund Council;
3. Setting up and maintaining data bases related to Fund Office business;
4. Preparing draft Fund Council procedures and guidelines for Fund Council review and approval;
5. Analyzing the Consortium’s compliance with performance agreements, based on information submitted by the Consortium;
6. Support to the Fund Council in resource mobilization efforts, in close collaboration with the Consortium;
7. Compiling for the Fund Council, on a rolling three-year basis to be updated annually, all funding indications made by Fund Donors for contributions to the CGIAR Fund, including expected timing and amounts of contributions;
8. Annually providing the Fund Council with a list of any Fund Donor’s funding indications that are not fulfilled by the dates or in the amounts set forth in the respective Contribution Agreement or Contribution Arrangement;
9. Reviewing shortfalls, overflows and imbalances in CGIAR Fund resources available for CRPs;
10. Proactively identifying funding risks arising from funding forecasts and proposing mitigative measures to the Fund Council.

On support to Funders Forum, the Fund Office assists the Chair(s) of the Funders Forum in organizing the Funders Forum and realizing key objectives and functions of the Funders Forum, including:

1. Enabling the Funders Forum’s review and endorsement of the SRF;
2. Confirming that progress reports from the Consortium and mid-term external evaluations of the SRF from the Consortium are provided to the Funders Forum;
3. Conveying reports on funding issues from the Fund Council;
4. Preparing a financing plan for CGIAR in consultation with the Trustee and Consortium;
5. Providing information on shortfalls and imbalances in resources available for CRPs.

In acting as a liaison to the Trustee, the Consortium, the ISPC and the IEA, the Fund Office assists the Fund Council in maintaining its business relations and dialogue with the Trustee, the Consortium, the ISPC and the IEA on day-to-day operational matters.  The Fund Office also collaborates with the Trustee as needed to enable the Trustee to carry out its responsibilities.

On support to meetings and communications, the Fund Office:

1. Organizes and provides administrative support for the regular meetings of the Funders Forum and the Fund Council;
2. Coordinates the Funders Forum’s and the Fund Council’s nomination and election processes (such as for ISPC);
3. Coordinates communications on behalf of the Fund Council and its Chair;
4. Maintains the CGIAR Fund’s archives, including maintaining and distributing amendments to the Governance Framework, and manages information activities related to Fund Council business.

The Fund Office is located in the World Bank headquarters and its staff are employed by the World Bank.  The Executive Secretary of the Fund Council leads the Fund Office and is selected and appointed by the World Bank in accordance with World Bank policies and procedures.  The Fund Council participates in endorsing the position’s terms of reference and is involved in shortlisting and interviewing candidates.  The Fund Office staff has expertise in the areas of responsibility of the Fund Office.  The annual work program and operating budget of the Fund Office are subject to approval by the Fund Council and are financed through the CGIAR Fund.  The Fund Office operates under World Bank policies and procedures.

Who’s Who

CGIAR Fund Council Chair:  Rachel Kyte, effective November 9, 2011

CGIAR Fund Council Executive Secretary and Head of Fund Office:  Jonathan Wadsworth effective March 14, 2011.

Read an interview with Jonathan Wadsworth.

See his short bio 

Fund Office Staff as of October 25, 2011: