Professional OverviewElma Adwa is a grant and programme-management professional with more than 14 years of experience supporting international development, regional trade, sustainability, humanitarian initiatives, and donor-funded programs. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, she has managed complex programs involving grant applications, budgeting, disbursements, compliance, stakeholder coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and donor reporting. Her professional background includes senior roles with the Royal Danish Embassy in Kenya and KPMG East Africa. She brings to GARI extensive experience working with government institutions, development partners, nonprofit organizations, consultants, grantees, and international funding programs.Areas of Expertise

• Grant Research and Opportunity Identification
• Grant and Fund Management
• Proposal and Application Development
• Programme and Project Management
• Donor Compliance and Reporting
• Budgeting and Disbursement Monitoring
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
• Fiduciary Risk and Due-Diligence Support
• Sustainability and Green-Growth Programs
• Stakeholder and Partner Coordination
• Institutional Policies and Procedures
• Strategic Planning and Organizational Development

Professional ExperienceElma previously served as Regional Team Programme Manager and Danida Business Coordinator at the Royal Danish Embassy in Nairobi. In this position, she coordinated development and trade programs, managed grant-related activities, monitored project implementation, supported budgeting and disbursements, and contributed to major country-program formulations. She also managed initiatives involving TradeMark East Africa, Oxfam, the Business Advocacy Fund, green growth, employment, refugee response, and emergency programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work included coordinating partners and grantees, reviewing applications, monitoring performance, supporting donor reporting, and organizing high-level government and international engagements. Earlier, as Senior Advisor in Grant Management at KPMG East Africa, Elma supported the full grant-management cycle, including funding procedures, applicant assessments, proposal-budget reviews, contracting, disbursement decisions, financial-report reviews, monitoring visits, procurement, and donor reporting. Her assignments included work connected with the Global Fund, the UK Department for International Development, and other development organizations.Education and Professional Development

• Master of Business Administration in Project Management, Kenyatta University
• Bachelor of Commerce with specialization in Human Resource Management
• Diploma in Business Administration
• Master of Humanitarian Action and Development, ongoing
• Certification in Grant Management, Strathmore Business School
• Certification in Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
• Certification in Project Management
• Certification in Monitoring and Evaluation for EU-Funded Projects
• Certification in Corporate Governance and Board Training
• Public-Private Partnership Fellowship, Danida Fellowship Centre

GARI RoleAs GARI’s Grant Specialist, Elma supports the identification, development, submission, and monitoring of funding opportunities for the organization’s research, innovation, conferences, awards, Distinguished Lecture Series, and professional-development programs.Her responsibilities include:

• Researching relevant funding opportunities
• Maintaining GARI’s grant calendar and application records
• Preparing grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and supporting documents
• Coordinating program, budget, and organizational information
• Reviewing applications for accuracy, completeness, and compliance
• Tracking submissions and responding to funder requirements
• Supporting grant reporting and funding documentation
• Providing grant-development updates to GARI’s leadership

She serves in this capacity as a volunteer member of GARI’s program administration team.Contribution to GARIElma brings substantial institutional and international-development experience to GARI’s funding activities. Her knowledge of grant management, donor expectations, compliance, budgeting, monitoring, and program implementation strengthens GARI’s ability to pursue sustainable funding and deliver accountable, well-structured programs.