PEPFAR-Funded VAST Program

(Documents available for download)

What is PEPFAR?

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was started in 2003 as the U.S. President's 5-year initiative to combat AIDS around the world. The Emergency Plan is focused on the prevention of new HIV infections, treatment for people living with HIV, and care for people living with AIDS and those affected by it (including vulnerable children and orphans).

VAST Small Funds

The Volunteer Activities Support and Training (VAST) program is funded from PEPFAR through USAID resources to conduct community projects and community-focused training aimed at HIV prevention. VAST funds support small-scale, capacity-building projects (including community-focused training) among community-based organizations and/or faith based organizations (C/FBOs), and/or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work with or provide services to, local communities to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

As community catalysts, Peace Corps Volunteers work with local organizations to help them decide where to focus their prevention efforts and to discover community assets and resources. The VAST program also provides small funds for such projects.

Summary Guidelines

In order to apply, all you need is to:

1. Work with a local community organization on needs assessment, a project idea and on possible resources to implement this idea.
2. If there is need for additional funding, apply for VAST small funds using the application form below. Please keep in mind that the whole process of applications review, approval and funding can take 2.5 months or longer (see the timeline below).

What may be funded through VAST? (For details, please refer to VAST Guidelines below.)

• Community-initiated activities primarily in HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and care;
• Community-focused trainings in HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and care;
• Training and other capacity-building activities with/in C/FBOs and NGOs that will assist the organization in meeting the needs of the community they serve;
• Community activities designed to support people living with AIDS (PLWA), especially orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC);
• Inputs for community-managed income-generating activities for PLWAs;
• Informational or educational materials on HIV/AIDS prevention, for use within a community setting.

Please refer to the Grant Comparison Chart (below) for details of what the VAST program will and will not fund. If you would like to have more information, please contact the PEPFAR Coordinator at Peace Corps/Ukraine.

Useful Links

http://www.PEPFAR.gov/: Official web site for the PEPFAR program run by the Office of Global AIDS Coordinator

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whatvol.hivaids: Peace Corps web site – what Volunteers around the world do about HIV

http://www.avert.org/pepfar.htm: Frequently asked questions about the PEPFAR program, discussions, and constantly updated links to PEPFAR-related documents

The following documents are available for download . . .

Title (right-click to download)	Date Uploaded	File Size
1. PEPFAR VAST Project Proposal (English)	October 14, 2008	197.0 KB
Submit your proposal using this template! It should be accompanied by Appendix 0 (Excel file - detailed budget breakdown) and Appendix 3 (Excel file reporting your beneficiaries).
1a. PEPFAR VAST Project Proposal (Ukrainian)	February 8, 2008	316.0 KB
Please remember that this is only for your counterparts' reference. The only form that is valid for submission is in English
2. Appendices to be signed	February 8, 2008	115.0 KB
Please submit these signed appendices along with your proposal (leave the budget numbers blank as they may change during the review process).
3. Appendix 3. Monitoring and Evaluation Worksheet	October 14, 2008	20.5 KB
Please use this worksheet to report the expected number of beneficiaries of your grant. Try to be as accurate as possible, but don't be afraid to make a mistake: just contact the PEPFAR Coordinator or Volunteers from the Review Committee for help.
3a. Appendix 3: Ukrainian	April 16, 2008	21.5 KB
Only for your counterparts' reference. The only valid version for submission is English
4. Appendix 0 - detailed budget breakdown	October 14, 2008	43.0 KB
Please use this worksheet for the purpose of planning your budget. it should accompany your project proposal, along with Appendix 3.
5. PEPFAR VAST Project Closing Procedure	August 21, 2007	32.0 KB
Step by Step on how to close out your grant
6. PEPFAR Project Completion Report	February 8, 2008	459.5 KB
Please use this form to report what exactly happened in your project, what went differently from the initial plan, and what was the impact.
8. Project Log	February 8, 2008	45.0 KB
This log is for keeping track of your expenses during the project. you will need to turn it in along with the receipts (taped to regular paper, numbered and translated)
PEPFAR VAST proposal writing tips	April 16, 2008	210.0 KB
PEPFAR-related Project Design and Management. Notes on how to best structure your goals, objectives and tasks, as well as plan your budget.