Context
Managing grants necessitates a structured approach, particularly when handling substantial funds aimed at supporting the development of countries, especially small island developing states like the 28 members of the Pacific Community (SPC). The Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) programme focuses on effective ocean and coastal governance, underscoring biodiversity protection and the sustainable use of fisheries and other marine resources. The Financing Agreement for the programme was signed in 2017, followed by the Delegation Agreement for implementation in 2018. This partnership encompasses 15 Pacific-African, Caribbean, and Pacific (P-ACP) countries, with a total budget of €45 million, consisting of €35 million from the European Union (EU) and a €10 million co-financing contribution from the Government of Sweden.
The SPC serves as the lead agency, managing the programme via a Management Programme Unit (PMU) that prioritizes financial management among its key activities. Programmes like PEUMP require meticulous oversight of activities and finances to ensure projects are executed effectively and that expenses align with expectations and are thoroughly validated. As part of the programme, grants were introduced to support the KRA 3 Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMA) community-based fisheries management projects. To facilitate effective financial oversight, establishing a robust financial management structure was essential, leading to the creation of a manual to operationalize grants under the programme in accordance with SPC grant policy.
Change Process
The 2001 Financial Regulations served as the official financial management framework for the SPC until 2018. Between 2018 and 2019, members undertook a comprehensive review of all financial regulations and related documents as part of an initiative to consolidate everything into the Pacific Community Governance Compendium (PCGC). This review was addressed during the 53rd meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA) in 2019. Since then, SPC has implemented numerous specific policies, including those for Procurement, Grants, Cash Management, Investments, and Credit Card Use, which have either replaced or updated provisions from the original 2001 Financial Regulations.
The introduction of the Grant Policy for SPC in 2022 marked a significant advancement in the framework for the grant program. In 2023, the PEUMP programme introduced a small grant opportunity under the LMMA network component to bolster community-based fisheries management across the region. Each small grant has a maximum amount of €10,000 with the objective of providing 15 grants throughout the region. This initiative led to the development of the PEUMP LMMA Small Grants Financial Management Manual, designed to complement the existing grant policy within SPC.
Results and Impact
The PEUMP LMMA Small Grants Financial Management Manual is the first grant manual produced for SPC. The compilation was led by the PEUMP Financial Officer, and it was published in July 2025. The manual was created to assist grantees with financial management, covering acquittals, documentation checklists, and process guidelines. It presents clear, step-by-step guidance for financial reporting and includes ready-to-use templates tailored to the needs of LMMA Small Grant recipients.
The content of the manual was utilized during the initial training for grantees, where it was effectively delivered using PowerPoint slides and included as attachments to the grant agreement. This method demonstrates a joint dedication to accountability, transparency, and efficient reporting between the grantees and the PEUMP programme.
Since its development, the manual and related training materials have been disseminated to both internal and external stakeholders, gaining recognition as practical and adaptable tools. Notably, in August 2024, the PEUMP Grants training material was shared with the SPC Procurement and Grants teams, with positive feedback emphasizing its utility in addressing high-risk areas in small grants financial management. Furthermore, the materials were presented to SPC's Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) as evidence of a proactive approach to mitigating grant-related risks.
Peni Vula, a Finance and Grants Officer with Pacific Women Lead and the Pacific Community at SPC, provided feedback on the manual. He stated, “The way you outlined the reporting steps and included annexes with templates and checklists makes it very user-friendly, especially for community-based grantees who may not have strong financial systems in place.” He further emphasized, “It’s also great to see how you and the team incorporated reflections from past grant experiences. This demonstrates how lessons learned can be transformed into practical guidance that supports accountability and transparency.” He concluded by saying, “I believe this manual will not only benefit the PEUMP programme but will also serve as an excellent reference for those of us working with small and local organizations.”
The successful management of LMMA grants through a multi-stage process completed within seven months was presented at the SPC–EU Project Management Unit (EU-PMU) Community of Practice meeting in October 2024. This presentation generated significant interest, including from the EU-funded Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) project, which adopted several templates tailored to its project needs. Additionally, positive feedback regarding the manual's structure and flowcharts was received from various stakeholders, underscoring its value.
Further demonstrating its reach, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Enhancing Direct Access (EDA) Programme has also adopted the PEUMP’s Financial Manual as a model. Floyd Robinson, representing the programme, shared that while the EDA Programme had long struggled with how to convert PowerPoint-based training materials into easy-to-understand manuals for communities, the PEUMP manual provided a clear solution. He highlighted that its simplicity, illustrations and accessible layout made it useful not only for office workers but also for community members. As a result, the manual has been shared with EDA consultants, who are now using it as a guide to develop training manuals on food security, water security and disaster risk reduction for Municipalities and State Governments across the FSM.
Lesson Learned
The development of this manual underscores the importance of structured financial management in ensuring the successful implementation of grant programs. One of the primary challenges highlighted by the Programme Finance Officer, Raksha Ben, was the relatively short seven-month timeframe for implementing the grant, coupled with limited resources for face-to-face training. She further mentioned that the inception training was conducted via Zoom sessions, which, while effective, highlighted the need for adaptable educational methods.
She mentioned that “Overall, this is the first comprehensive grants financial management manual developed for grants within SPC. Unlike many other projects and divisions where materials remain siloed, PEUMP’s approach has been to share openly, building institutional learning and strengthening grant accountability across the organisation.”
The collaboration and adaptability demonstrated throughout this process have significantly strengthened the PEUMP grant program. With the positive feedback on the content and how other projects have extracted parts of its content for their own use, despite being recently published, it will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the targeted audience and communities.
Link to the Manual: https://www.spc.int/digitallibrary/get/sqavv
