Funding of the Aid Transparency Index

Dear Governing board, Thanks for reaching out with the drop in invite. Unfortunately, I can’t change overlapping appointments at short notice.

Thanks for sharing the letter by members proposing to IATI to contribute to the 2024 ATI exercise, as part of the IATI 2023 workplan and budget. 

Would like to express my respect for what the ATI has achieved over the past decade, in terms of significant transparency gains in the work and public data of a sizable selection of large providers.  This has also contributed to the recognition of the importance of IATI publication, and the relevance of data quality for data use. I’ve personally contributed to the ATI with time and efforts in the role of independent reviewer. In my understanding a good ATI result has evolved into a normal ISO-certification alike, solid business standard, chapeaux.

In terms of priority setting for IATI, during the coming decade, emphasis should in my view shift to transparency within the networked relationships between actors and funding flows from diverse sources. A network reaching and including the sphere/the actors/the locations where the intended positive changes in people’s lives materialise. The data quality and level of transparency is certainly inconsistent, and disappointing at best within that network, often almost adsent, similar to ATI covered community at the start of the ATI.

From above you may understand that my preference is that IATI designs strategies and activities and support actors that work on the transparency of the networked community. International NGOs, regional and local NGOs too often preach transparency and openness, but act and deliver differently. Move to dowards downward and networked and local accountability as emphasis. There is a lot to learn from ATI, but IATI's scope and focus should broaden, move ahead and beyond in my view.  leo

Maybe to add if there is time for AOB in this drop in.

I wanted to ask for action/attention for one of the action points of the April Governing board meeting. It was decided to make an updated, accurate and maintained list available to all members of the membership status - who has paid, who is in arrears, who can vote, who can be elected etc. 

Find this important, considering the ATI support topic discussion, but also the important decisions that need to be taken in the upcoming MA and thereafter in relation to the 2023 workplan and budget and the hosting agreement and institutional future of IATI.

So far only one membership status snapshot update was shared (dated May 2022) with limited progress. Maybe better to share a link to the list that is actually being maintained and updated?  And also provide a resume/status update to all members more frequently.

 

And last but not least issues like membership status, MA agenda, elections etc, letters to the board etc deserve a proper location on IATIconnect. 
Few members will see/read these comments, as they appear in the data use community only.
Hope a member community/section can be created on IATIconnect, as request suggested and promised some time ago. An urgent matter in my view.
   

Herman van Loon  Andie Vaughn  Yohanna Loucheur  Michelle Levesque  Sohir Debbiche, mentioning you so these comments are somehow noticed. 

All comments are noticed Leo, good to see you here!

Connect remains a bit of a labyrint for me.

Dear Leo, thank you for sharing these comments. They were well noted during the Board informal. The Board remains absolutely committed to driving the equity agenda; we will be looking to a strategic partnership with PWYF to help drive some innovation and learning to help make feedback on transparency and quality available to all publishers. Best wishes.