Why is the GNC Technical Alliance changing? All your questions answered

Looking to 2024, the Global Nutrition Cluster and the GNC Technical Alliance have jointly decided to create one holistic support platform by bringing our two arms of support together into one shared, global identity. We believe this will help us to communicate our support and services more clearly to nutrition actors and improve your experience with us

We also believe moving towards one platform will foster more synergy internally between our two arms of support. With one shared vision and purpose – to provide timely and comprehensive nutrition coordination, information management, and Nutrition in Emergencies technical support – we believe we can utilize our collective resources more efficiently and ultimately serve nutrition actors, like you, better.     

If you missed our December 6 webinar in which the GNC Technical Alliance’s UNICEF co-lead Megan Gayford explained the reason for this change and what it means for you moving forward, you can view the recordings and presentation here.

However, we appreciate there might still be questions about how this change impacts you moving forward. So we’ve answered some of the frequently asked questions we been asked so far:

Why are the Global Nutrition Cluster and GNC Technical Alliance merging into one platform?  

We have found that having two separate platforms and identities has resulted in confusion about the perceived purposes, functions, and relationships between our two arms of support – coordination and information management from the GNC Coordination Team and technical nutrition support, guidance, and resources from the GNC Technical Alliance.

Therefore, to help you better understand our collective work as the Global Nutrition Cluster and to improve your experience with our services and support, we’ve decided to bring the Global Nutrition Cluster and GNC Technical Alliance under one shared identity and create an all-in-one support platform.

Many of our support requests already overlap the two support arms, further cementing that a unified, holistic platform is the best way to support nutrition actors moving forward.

We also believe an external alignment will also help us to achieve better internal alignment, as we create a stronger community, build off one another’s resources and strengths, and collaborate more closely.

How does this impact me?  

Currently, you have to go to two different Global Nutrition Cluster platforms – the GNC Technical Alliance website or the Global Nutrition Cluster website – depending on the type of support you need.

Now, we are making it easier to access support by bringing the two platforms together into one platform where you can access all of your support needs for coordination and information management, Nutrition in Emergencies technical support, capacity strengthening, resources, and learning opportunities.

Moving forward, this unity will be reflected through one shared website and logo.

The GNC Technical Alliance will still provide all the same services through the Global Nutrition Cluster platform – including technical nutrition support via the Helpdesk, in-country and remote support, and producing technical guidance and resources.

For you, the difference will be that instead of accessing support via our current website and social media channels, you will be able to go directly to the Global Nutrition Cluster website and social media for all your technical support needs and requests.

The GNC Technical Alliance website will be phased in March 2024 and the logo will retire. All GNC Technical Alliance social media content will continue to feature on the Global Nutrition Cluster’s channels.

In order to not miss out on key nutrition updates, invitations to webinars, new resources, and to request technical support from the Alliance, please make sure you are following these accounts:

LinkedIn: @Global Nutrition Cluster

Twitter: @GNCGENEVA

Website: www.nutritioncluster.net

 How will the Global Nutrition Cluster be different than before?  

Internally, we believe this move will create greater unity and synergy between the two arms of support, and help us to streamline our work better. For you, the difference will be that everything the Global Nutrition Cluster and GNC Technical Alliance has to offer will be accessible from one website, including requests for support. 

 Will the GNC stop doing anything as a result of this change?

No. All the services currently provided by the Coordination Team and the Technical Alliance will remain as they are now, just enhanced and with greater flexibility.

 What has happened to the Technical Support Team (TST)?

The TST has evolved into one unified Operations Team that provides NiE technical, coordination and information management support.

 Doesn’t this just take us back 10 years to before the GTAM? What have we learned from being one larger Global Nutrition Cluster?

 No. While we are joining together in one platform and identity, technical and coordination will remain independent of each other. However, we believe that by coming together as one support platform, we can create better cohesion between the two support arms, allowing us to utilize our collective resources more efficiently and ultimately serve nutrition actors better.

 Can coordination/IM and technical still maintain their independence and relative accountabilities?

Yes. The different accountabilities of the two support arms will be maintained at the global and country level. 

With a larger platform, can the GNC still remain active and responsive in a timely fashion?

We believe that closer alignment between the GNC Coordination Team and the Technical Alliance will lead to a more cohesive team and will help to improve access to support by decreasing barriers and streamlining our processes. And we believe that nutrition actors will be able to access support easier and in a more comprehensive way as a result of this change.

 How will the Global Nutrition Cluster be funded? Will that change?

No, it will not change. The Global Nutrition Cluster Coordination Team and Technical Alliance will continue to receive funding from a variety of resource partners, and also funding from UNICEF. There is also a significant contribution in-kind from GNC partners who contribute their time for different functions – such as developing guidance or chairing a working group – which will also continue under this new structure.

 What is the role of Save the Children in the Global Nutrition Cluster moving forward?

UNICEF is our Cluster Lead Agency and has the mandated responsibility to lead the coordination of nutrition responses. While UNICEF is also responsible for the GNC Technical Alliance, an NGO co-lead is appointed every two years to ensure representation within our technical support across the humanitarian landscape that include both UN agencies and NGOs.

 Save the Children is the current NGO co-lead for the GNC Technical Alliance until 2025, after which an open call for submissions to NGOs will be circulated to appoint the next co-lead. 

When will this change take effect and how do I request technical nutrition support in the meantime?

 The GNC Technical Alliance website and social media accounts will be phased out as of March 2024. Until then, we are working on consolidating our resources and websites to have everything you need accessible in one place.

In the meantime, you can still request technical guidance and support by filling out our support form – available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Arabic.

Have a question not answered here? Get in touch with us at: mgayford@unicef.org.