4. Programme Design

Once preliminary assessments and analyses (Section II above) are complete, CARE staff should adhere to the following process in designing cash transfer programs:

  1. Determine appropriateness of CVA;
  2. Choose CVA modality;
  3. Set grant amounts and delivery frequency and choose payment mechanism.

Operational Standards

Modality choice is informed by response analysis and feasibility analysis

Key Actions

  1. Ensure participation of different gender groups in CVA design discussions, including those on gender issues and discussions on needs and risks. Engage different gender groups to collect information on the appropriate elements of program design, including timing of activities (e.g. registration, sensitization, and distribution of delivery mechanisms) and location of the activities and services to ensure everyone’s access.
    For SRHR programming : Ensure that the program has been designed to meet SRH in Emergencies (SRHRie) Minimum Commitments for gender and inclusion
  2. Ensure an understanding of social norms (in particular those relating to gender dynamics around household decision-making and cash handling) is reflected upon and utilized in CVA program.
  3. Determine women and men’s financial literacy, debt and credit relations within the community and how engagement with CVA will affect financial inclusion with the help of the Rapid Gender Analysis tool
  4. Based on needs assessment, gender analysis, market assessment, FSP assessment and risk assessment, decide on CVA feasibility. Document your decision to ensure a demonstrable and logical link between the gender-specific needs identified for CVA and activities and results in the program log frame. Design options for hard-to-reach populations or those gender groups with special needs.
  5. Demonstrate that Value for Money (VfM) drivers (cost, speed and efficiency) have informed the analysis
  6. Assess existing social protection systems for use and strengthening during emergency response
  7. Identify additional actions that need to be taken to assure quality control (e.g. additional market monitoring to ensure quality goods in the markets, technical assistance to households, etc.)
  8. If working with partners, ensure that governance norms and accountability between partners is well-defined from the outset of the project

Operating Standards 

Safe, accessible and effective mechanism(s) are identified to deliver CVA, based on situation analysis and size of the cash program to be delivered

Key Actions

  1. Identify the most appropriate modality or combination of modalities as part of a cash plus approach or complementary programing approach.
  2. Select the delivery mechanism(s) and Financial Service Providers (FSP) for the programme based on the following dimensions: Infrastructure/geographic services; cash/monetary considerations; system reporting & data protection; reliability, flexibility and scale; time and speed; beneficiary interface, protection, and acceptance (equal access) ; risk; organisational alignment/ease of implementation; cost-effectiveness; resilience, financial inclusion, and secondary impacts. Also take into consideration the fact that delivery mechanisms for CVA are responsive to the unique needs of vulnerable and marginalized subgroups of the target populations.
  3. Design targeted strategies for outreach and awareness-raising on CVA responsive to the unique needs of various gender groups. Design option for hard to reach populations and those gender groups with special needs

Operational Standards 

Transfer value, frequency and duration are set based on an analysis of women, girls, men and boys needs and gaps across sectors

Key actions

  1. Calculate the transfer amount based on needs to be covered and the cost of meeting these after ensuring that a MEB has not yet been defined by one or more clusters at national level. As much as possible, adopt a multi sector perspective in which case a Minimum Expenditure Basket can be a good way to capture the needs people access through the markets.For SRHR programming : Calculate transfer value based on desired SRHR outcomes. Adjust transfer value ranges to accommodate the diversity of SRHR needs.
  2. Include the dimensions listed above in service providers and with finance team to establish clear criteria for selection