ANE Technical Activity
Invitation for Grant Proposals

 
ESD to Fund 3-5 Grants in 2008

ESD is pleased to announce that it will fund 3-5 proposals for scaling-up FP/MNCH best practices to be implemented by the country teams who participated in the ANE FP/MNCH technical meeting held in Bangkok, September 2007. Each award will range between $50,000- $90,000, subject to availability of funds.

Funding will be awarded to the country teams proposing the most effective and innovative approaches to apply, institutionalize, and scale-up high-impact FP/MNCH best practices. Best practices considered for funding include:

• Best practices that reduce maternal, neonatal, and infant/child mortality/morbidity
• Best practices that reduce unintended pregnancy

The activities to implement best practices can include:

• Convening meetings of the country teams to develop action plans
• Reviewing progress
• Organizing trainings
• Providing TA through local experts
• Planning monitoring and evaluation activities
• Travel costs related to holding in-country meetings or visiting in-country successful demonstration sites for best practices

Please note that the funding will not support procurement of equipment, drugs, other commodities or management salaries. 

Technical Assistance from Collaborating Partners

Pathfinder International, the managing partner for the ESD Project, will administer those awards. However, ESD staff, other USAID-funded cooperating agencies (CAs) working in the region, other donors, and multi-lateral partners will provide technical assistance to recipients—as needed—for implementation and scale-up of FP/MNCH best practices, and will work closely with country teams on monitoring and evaluation. The technical assistance from ESD and its collaborating partners will be an in-kind contribution and of a substantial amount to build the capacity of the grantee and to provide hands- on training for scaling-up best practices. The following clarifies the nature of this additional in-kind contribution that the successful teams will receive:

• Technical assistance in applying select, evidence-based best practices;
• Technical assistance in using proven, scale-up methodologies such as fostering change and improvement collaborative
• Technical assistance in monitoring and evaluation, and any assistance needed in documentation and preparing their work on this activity for submission to a peer-reviewed journal;
• Opportunities to participate in an on-line discussion and learning network with country teams in Asia and the Near East

Application Timeline

Since ESD’s completion date is September 30, 2010, it is very important to award and launch the activities during the period October 2008- March 2009. Country teams are encouraged to submit their proposals as soon as possible. The submission deadline is October 19, 2008. ESD will review proposals and award funds to high quality proposals meeting all criteria on a first come first served basis. Proposals will be accepted until all funds are awarded, or, October 19, 2008, which ever date is first. Country teams are encouraged to submit their proposals immediately in order to ensure consideration. The activities may be planned for a 12-18 month period, not to go beyond June 30, 2010 to allow for proper close out before ESD’s completion date.