In April, we received the news that Global Mission Partners (GMP) is now fully accredited by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT, responsible for managing the Australian Government’s aid program). We did this affirming our Christian identity and commitment to the highest standards of operation.

Full accreditation by DFAT is a great step forward for GMP and our partners. It affirms the work of our partners and the high standards of GMP, opens new connections and extends our impact even further.

So, what is full accreditation? DFAT accreditation means that we are accredited as a full partner with the Australian Government, receiving flexible funding under the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) each year to implement development and poverty alleviation programs overseas.

Seeking full accreditation has been a five-year process. GMP has been accredited at a base level for the past five years, which has meant some of our projects have already received funding through the ANCP. Now, with full accreditation, we can access a higher level of funding for more of the Churches of Christ Overseas Aid (COCOA) development projects.

Full accreditation is great news for a few reasons.

Firstly, it affirms the work of our partners and the standards of GMP. To gain accreditation, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) like GMP must demonstrate capacity and performance against a range of indicators. Accreditation ensures the Australian Government is funding professional, well-managed organisations that can deliver quality development outcomes and are accountable to their stakeholders. It assures the Australian public that the Australian Government is working with the most effective partners.

GMP demonstrated our capacity and compliance to a high standard in applying for full accreditation. We were audited in October 2021 as part of the application process. This was a thorough audit of governance, risk management, project management and finances across GMP’s activities. We will continue to have regular audits to ensure that our governance, management and financial activities meet a high standard. Such a process will enable GMP to reflect on, and improve, our performance.

Receiving full accreditation affirms that we are operating at the highest standards and also recognises that we can take on a larger program of development work.

Secondly, accreditation is great news because it aligns us with the other members of the Church Agency Network (CAN). CAN is a network of church agencies. Being aligned with CAN agencies opens new opportunities for GMP to participate in other activities such as the Church Agency Network Disaster Operations (CAN DO) program. CAN DO is involved in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response projects. This is an opportunity to be part of this work and support our partners in the face of natural disasters.

Finally, full accreditation extends the impact of our work even further! With access to further funding through ANCP, many of our partners will be able to extend their programs.

While the whole of GMP’s operations is accredited, only some COCOA development programs are eligible to receive funding through the ANCP. These programs will be marked on our website as they become approved by the ANCP. You can look for the Australian Aid Identifier on the project page. You may already notice this when reading about Showers of Blessing, one of the projects already receiving some ANCP funding.

Your support of these programs will have even more impact!

DFAT will support up to 83% of approved projects. However, we still need your help to fund the remainder. Every donation you make to funded programs will be combined with funding from the Australian Government and will reach more people. We have committed to contribute $1 for every $5 we receive from the Australian Government. Your donation will allow us to extend our programs.

We will continue to fund our other GMP programs through your generous donations. ANCP-funded programs will not change our budget commitment to any of our non-ANCP funded programs. These programs still need your support.

Our commitment to strong relationships with our partners will not change.

Our ethos of working alongside our local partners as equals will continue. Full accreditation means that many of our partners can increase their program capacity. GMP will also connect with new partners who align with our values.

Thank you for your support of GMP. We are excited about how full accreditation can extend the impact we have together.

Thank you for your partnership with us in this new chapter.