Interested in community action on NCDs? Specifically on cardiovascular health?
Here is a grant opportunity. Apply.
Jamie
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https://mailchi.mp/f0f1d6c93ee4/links-community-next-round-of-links-one-time-grant-funding-is-currently-open?e=e362d090a9
Types of support
LINKS members are eligible to apply on behalf of government and non-governmental organizations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for limited technical assistance or one-time grants to catalyze or improve country progress toward improvement of cardiovascular health.
Technical assistance from a roster of global experts
The LINKS program includes a roster of experts on hypertension, salt reduction and elimination of trans fat who may be available to provide limited technical assistance to governmental, non-governmental or private sector cardiovascular programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Technical assistance may be virtual/remote or on-site. Application for technical assistance is rolling, i.e., applications may be submitted at any time and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis as they are received.
Requests for technical assistance must be aligned with at least one of the following:
1) HYPERTENSION CONTROL
Hypertension treatment programs that include reporting on hypertension using the WHO HEARTS technical package monitoring indicators or selection of a standard hypertension treatment protocol (see protocol examples in the LINKS toolkit)
2) SALT REDUCTION
Reduction of population salt intake through strategies outlined in the WHO SHAKE technical package and appropriate to the country’s primary sources of dietary salt
3) ELIMINATION OF ARTIFICIAL TRANS FAT
Eliminating trans fatty acids from the food supply as described in the WHO REPLACE technical package
One-time grant support
The LINKS program includes a limited pool of funding, portions of which may potentially be granted to support governmental, non-governmental or private sector cardiovascular health programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the areas of hypertension control, salt reduction or elimination of artificial trans fat. A LINKS grant is a one-time opportunity that is limited to a maximum value of $200k USD and a time-frame of up to two years. Recipients of the first round of LINKS one-time grant support were announced on 20 March 2019! You can read the press release here.
The deadline for the current round of applications for a LINKS grant is 15 June 2019. Applications will be reviewed in aggregate after this date. Additional windows for application for a LINKS grant may be established in the future.
In addition to the alignment with the WHO HEARTS, SHAKE and REPLACE technical packages described in the technical assistance section above, successful requests for one-time grant support should demonstrate the organization's capacity to ensure that this one-time support will result in sustained progress toward improving cardiovascular health beyond the duration of the grant.
More specifically…
1. Hypertension proposals should conform to the five key steps needed to implement the WHO HEARTS technical package:
Implement practical treatment protocols which are drug- and dose-specific and which establish steps to take if blood pressure is not controlled. Use of standardized, evidence-based protocols reduces clinical variability and results in more efficient and cost-effective selection of medications and treatment approaches.
Regular and uninterrupted supply of medications and equipment to ensure that the right medications and equipment get to the right place at the right time and reach the patients
who need them.
Community-based care and task sharing so health workers who are accessible to patients in their communities can provide, adjust and intensify medication regimens according to physician orders and protocols.
Patient-centered services which reduce barriers to care by lowering medical costs, increasing the convenience of medical visits and refills, providing once-daily regimens with the minimum number of pills possible, and improving access to blood pressure monitoring, including in homes, pharmacies and other public places.
Information systems that allow continuous, real-time monitoring to improve follow-up of patients whose blood pressure is not under control, measure program quality and coverage, and allow analysis of program data to improve patient care and system performance.
Examples of hypertension grant requests that LINKS might consider supporting
A one-time procurement of blood pressure monitoring devices for program sites
A start-up supply of anti-hypertensive medications for a country whose government has selected a national protocol
Development and implementation of a training course focused on task sharing for rural healthcare workers
2. Salt reduction proposals should support development, implementation or monitoring of strategies aimed at achieving a reduction in population salt intake.
Examples of salt reduction grant requests that LINKS might consider supporting
Establishment of a database of packaged food to support a packaged food initiative
Surveillance to understand baseline sodium intake or sodium levels in packaged or restaurant foods
Development of nutrition standards for schools
3. Trans fat elimination proposals should support the ultimate goal of establishing national regulations to eliminate artificial trans fat.
Examples of trans fat elimination grant requests that LINKS might consider supporting
Conducting surveillance (food testing)
Civil society advocacy aimed at putting pressure on national governments
Developing a country roadmap for trans fat elimination that summarizes findings from key assessment activities and outlines a way forward for proposed policy action
Apply for Support
If you have any questions regarding applying for a grant, or would like to discuss an idea before developing a full proposal, please feel free to email the LINKS team at support@linkscommunity.org
https://members.linkscommunity.org/types-of-support
