The Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB), a multi-donor
trust fund, aims to improve the capacity of developing countries to
produce and use statistics with an overall objective of supporting
effective decision-making for development. The TFSCB works closely with
the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century
(PARIS21) to advance coordinated international efforts to improve
statistics globally. The TFSCB supports projects aiming at strengthening
national statistical systems in priority areas and developing
statistical capacity in a sustainable manner, including openness and
accessibility of data in line with the Open Data Initiative and
innovative approaches to improve data collection.
The Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB) was established
on April 13, 1999 to strengthen the capacity of statistical systems in
developing countries. It is a global grant facility, administered by the
Development Data Group of the World Bank on behalf of the contributing
donors. TFSCB focuses on improving countries’ capacity in the
production, analysis, dissemination and use of timely statistics. In
coordination with national programs and international initiatives, TFSCB
provides a practical mechanism to achieve the vision of the Partnership
for Statistics for Development for the 21st Century (PARIS21).
It aspires to develop effective and efficient national statistical
systems and to promote a culture of evidence-based decision making and
implementation. Moreover, consistent with the Busan Action Plan for
Statistics (BAPS) and the needs of the post-2015 development agenda,
TFSCB pays special attention to improving production and use of gender
statistics, advancing the data foundation for measuring sustainable
development, experimenting with innovative approaches in gathering,
producing and using data; and making government data more accessible.
The Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building (TFSCB) currently supports three types of projects:
- Preparation and updating of National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS);
- Statistical Capacity Building activities in key priority areas within the framework of NSDS, regional, or global strategies, including the Busan Action Plan for Statistics (BAPS) and the post-2015 agenda; and
- Data Production in key areas aiming to fill data gaps linked to the need for monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Household Surveys, National Accounts, and related activities. Please note that this type of project is currently in a PILOT mode and countries will be invited to participate.
All World Bank member countries are eligible to apply for TFSCB
funding, with priority given to countries eligible for the support of
the International Development Association (IDA). TFSCB funding can also
be provided to sub-regional, regional and international organizations.
TFSCB projects are designed to be relatively small and quick
disbursing. The maximum amount granted for any one proposal is specific
to the type of project; however the maximum duration is two years with
the possibility of a one year extension. The main aim of TFSCB is to
improve statistical capacity in a sustainable manner. The resources
provided must therefore be additional and cannot be used to replace
national budgetary resources. In general, recipients are required to
demonstrate their commitment to a proposed project by providing some
contribution, either monetary or in-kind, to the overall costs.
TFSCB financed projects are implemented by an appropriate national,
regional, or international agency (or, in exceptional circumstances, by
the World Bank itself). For each project, the World Bank will nominate a
Task Team Leader (TTL), who will be responsible for its supervision,
coordination with the implementing agency, and compliance with the World
Bank Trust Fund procedures. TTLs must be Trust Fund (TFLAP) accredited and accredited as a TTL.
