Fighting HIV/AIDS and Promoting Sexual Health amongst Males who have Sex with Males in South Asia To create a more sustainable and effectual response on improving sexual and reproductive health and reducing the spread of HIV among MSM in South Asia, NFI asks for support to develop its capacity in four key and interlinked areas: Component 1: Strengthening technical support capacity: This component will enable NFI to develop its ability to build -- and transfer -- self-confidence and to provide technical support to its project partner organizations for the development and management of their MSM and associated programs. Four activities: 1.1 Provision of technical support to project partners - through use of NFI staff and consultants a NFI's technical support program for South Asia will be developed, 1.2 Provision of training of trainers courses - enhancing the capacity of local organizations and individuals to provide their own training programs, 1.3 Provision of information technology to support technical support activities - enhancing NFI's resource base to meet the increasing demands for technical support. Component 2: Developing  knowledge management capacity: This component will allow NFI to implement a three-year knowledge management plan that will improve the flow of information to partner organizations and strengthen NFI's role as a leading regional and international source of information on HIV/AIDS and the sexual and reproductive health of MSM, by three linked activities: 2.1 Provision of knowledge management support to NFI - To hire knowledge management consultants to build the capacity of NFI and its partners to implement a knowledge management plan, and 2.2 Upgrading information technology for knowledge management - provision of information technology to support implementation of knowledge management plan. Component 3: Developing advocacy capacity: To build NFI's advocacy capacity and that of partnering local organizations: 3.1 Provision of advocacy technical assistance - hiring of a advocacy consultant to develop NFI's advocacy program internally, and externally with a range of key stakeholders in South Asia, and to build the capacity of NFI and its partners to implement this program 3.2 Provision of advocacy outreach support - visiting four key influence groups per year, including travel and per diem costs, 3.3 Provision of national advocacy meetings, and 3.4 Provision of capital equipment for advocacy activities - providing capital equipment support to enhance advocacy activities. The Grant will not finance any activities  which are directly political in nature. Component 4: Strengthening financing and management capacity: Critical for their survival, the NGOs have to build capacity for sustained fundraising and finance management with a medium-term view. This 4th component enhances the capacity of NFI and partner organizations to finance their activities and for the development of appropriate other management systems for its sustained development. Four activities: 4.1 Developing financing capacity - by employing financing consultants to implement and develop a financing strategy which includes securing resources for NFI and its partner organizations, and improving the capacity of partner organizations to write proposals and seek funding themselves, 4.2 Financing outreach - providing support to visit foundations to negotiate funding, 4.3 Supporting management capacity development - by employing consultants to review, amend and organizational plans and systems as required, and 4.4 Upgrading information technology - obtaining information technology to provide enhanced financing and management facilities. Overall a number of outcomes should be achieved, allowing NFI-India and the involved MSM organizations in the Region to have an increased impact in specific key areas of each component, and developing institutional capacity to work in these areas in a sustainable manner in the future. The focus of the activities will be on groups in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and possibly other countries of the Region as they come forward. Component 1: Strengthen technical support ability: Capacity of NFI partner organizations in the Region strengthened through technical support, and NFI's internal capacity to provide technical assistance improved. Component 2: Developing knowledge management capacity: Flow of information between NFI and its partners improved, and NFI's role as an international knowledge center on HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health of MSM strengthened. NFI's knowledge management plan implemented, and partner organizations and others better supplied with timely and useful knowledge for strategy development, project planning and project management. Enhanced knowledge management of internal resources, including institutional learning. Component 3: Developing advocacy capacity: Enhanced capacity to develop and implement advocacy activities. Improved understanding of MSM issues in South Asia by key influencers. Enhanced capacity to develop and implement advocacy activities. Component 4: Strengthening financing and management capacity: NFI's medium-term financing strategy defined and strengthened, and key grant awards obtained. Enhanced institutional capacity for financing strategy development and implementation. NFI and its partners become more financially sustainable. Management systems enhanced to support organizational objectives over the medium term. It is expected that as a result of this component more MSM groups in the Region will be able to apply for Bank funds under the AIDS projects in the Region. Indicator 1: Technical support - Number of project partners visited for provision of technical support, and number of NFI partner staff and other individuals trained. Indicator 2: Knowledge management - Number of internal and external information requests responded to. Indicator 3: Advocacy: Number of advocacy events organized. Among those attending advocacy events, how many have developed action plans that they have implemented? Indicator 4: Financing - Number of successful grant proposals submitted to donors by NFI and its partners, including proposals under Bank-financed HIV/AIDS projects.