Here is the new Three Diseases Fund Round 2 announcement. Good luck. The notice and application template is available from the moderator or on the [him] website.
[him] moderator
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THREE DISEASES FUND
TARGETED ROUND 2 FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Release date: 11 February 2008
Title: Three Diseases Fund (3DF)
Beneficiaries/Country: Local NGOs and CBOs/Myanmar
Indicative Budget: Max. US$100,000/grant, no minimum amount
Duration: 1 year with activities starting in September 2008
Deadline for submitting EOI: 1 April 2008, 1700 hours (registry Fund Manager)
Background
The Three Diseases Fund (3DF) aims to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Myanmar by reducing the burden of communicable disease mortality and morbidity. Activities will be undertaken to reduce the transmission and to enhance the provision of treatment and care for Tuberculosis (TB), Malaria and HIV and AIDS, through a pooled funding mechanism. Supported by six donors1, the pooled funds are managed by the Fund Manager (UNOPS) in a Fund Management office in Yangon according to priorities set by the Fund Board. The Board is comprised of four donor representatives and three independent experts, chaired on a rotating basis by a senior donor representative.
The 3DF primarily supports activities derived from National and Operational Plans for TB, Malaria and HIV and AIDS that are in-line with 3DF priorities described in the attached Guidelines for the Allocation of Three Diseases Fund Resources.
The 3DF has been carefully designed to ensure transparency, accountability and equity, as well as to deliver a programme that shall improve the health of poor and vulnerable people in Myanmar. The Fund also builds local capacity to meet future health needs in transparent, accountable and sustainable ways by working with local-level health staff and civil society groups.
The 3DF is particularly concerned to ensure the involvement of local NGOs and CBOs in contributing to the response across a full range of activities, including scaled up service delivery particularly in remote and under-served areas, and strengthened demand for access to quality services.
In November 2007 the 3DF undertook a study to assess how to support the efforts of local non-governmental and community-based organizations, as well as self-support groups (also seen as self-help groups), to address the suffering caused by TB, Malaria and HIV and AIDS. Following this study, the Fund Board requested the Fund Manager to launch a call (Round 2) for Expressions of Interest (EOI) specifically designed as a competitive small grants programme for community-based organizations.
The objective of this EOI is to identify qualified organizations among local NGOs/CBOs, and self-support groups, including networks and consortia, which can demonstrate their capacity, skills and experience to deliver 3DF priority activities to start in September 2008.
This round of EOI in a competitive small grants programme is the first step of a process that aims to strengthen accountable and inclusive local organizations to deliver activities according to the objectives of the 3DF. The Fund Manager will screen the submitted EOI, and select the most eligible ones to further submit a proposal. Proposals will be approved by the Fund Board, based on recommendations made by the Fund Manager.
The initial timeframe for proposed activities is one year. During the year the implementation of activities will be evaluated. On the basis of availability of funds and satisfactory performance, funding will be extended for two (2) additional years.
Who can apply?
This EOI specifically targets community-based organizations. This includes local NGOs, CBOs and self-support groups. Networks and consortia of any of these local organizations are encouraged to apply. Applicants do not necessarily need to have a primary focus on the health sector, but should have previous experience in the activities they propose for funding and should be able to demonstrate a link to the overall objectives and priority areas of the 3DF.
While the principal project holder of a grant has to be a local organization, joint proposals with INGOs, where the local organization is the implementing partner and the INGO provides capacity building and the framework to implement the activity, will also be considered.
Local organizations that want to apply directly need to be registered or with registration in process and to be the holders of a bank account in the name of the organization. They must be able to demonstrate that they have the resources and personnel to carry out the proposed activities.
What kind of activities can be included in the application?
The principal activities shall contribute, directly or indirectly, to reduce the transmission and enhance the provision of treatment and care for TB, Malaria and HIV and AIDS. Activities shall also be in accordance with the priorities identified in the National Strategic Plans and Operational Plans. Summaries of these priorities and those set by the 3DF are available to applicants in both English and Burmese/Myanmar languages.
Additional activities such as capacity building in technical, managerial, financial and project management skills for local organizations can also be included in order to improve quality and volume of the principal activity.
Activities can be carried out at a regional and/or local level, provided that they are of direct benefit to local communities. Activities can target either an individual disease or all three.
The activities will start after the contract has been signed, and can last for a maximum of one year. Activities may also be for less than one year, and may even be a one-time event.
What are the selection criteria?
Priority activities are those that will assist the populations most at risk of being affected by any of the three diseases, especially those living in remote and inaccessible areas with limited or no access to public health services.
Priority will further be given to EOI that demonstrate high levels of community participation in the planning and implementation of activities. The main local organization carrying out activities should be community-based or have developed strong links with local communities within which the project will be undertaken.
Activities that benefit a significant proportion of the population in the target area or a significant number of households and families in this area will be given high priority.
Preference will be given to EOI made by networks of local organizations, and collaboration with other (local) organizations, especially at regional level.
Organizations that can demonstrate previous working experience in the proposed activities will also be prioritised. Interested organizations will be judged according to their ability and experience in project and financial management.
How will the selection be determined?
The 3DF will arrange information meetings in different locations in the country for all interested parties about the EOI process. The Fund Manager will screen the submitted EOI, and select the most eligible ones to submit a proposal.
EOI will be selected on the basis of the selection criteria mentioned above. Non-participation in this first call for Round 2 does not prevent future involvement in a possible extension of this round, or in a next round of the 3DF.
How to apply?
Applicants are invited to submit an EOI to the Fund Manager in Yangon2. All applications should be in English language. Necessary background documents are available to the applicants in English and as much as possible in Burmese/Myanmar language.
EOI should cover:
1. Description of proposed activities
Applicants should provide a brief description of the activities proposed, explaining how these will contribute to reduce the transmission and enhance provision of treatment and care for TB, Malaria and HIV and AIDS.
Applicants must describe the location where the activities will take place (number of villages, township and State or Division), and who the beneficiaries will be, with a focus on how communities will be involved in the proposed activities, and how the organization is linked to these communities.
Applicants should describe who their partners are, if any, and with whom they will carry out the activities. What resources (staff, facilities, etc.) will these partners give to the proposed activities? What support will they give to the organization? What are the linkages between the different partners and the project objectives?
Applicants must provide a timeline, when the project starts and ends, and what is the total indicative budget?
2. Description of experience
Applicants will give a brief description of all their planned activities for one year. If available, they will also provide a sample of a recent progress and financial report to any other funding agency, with relevant information about funding sources, and their total annual budget for the current financial year.
Applicants will give a brief description of the personnel engaged in project activities: gender, education, years of experience, language ability, experience related to one of or all three diseases?
Applicants shall indicate whether and how they intend to procure drugs and commodities, if necessary to the proposed activities.
3. Description of the organization
Applicants should provide a brief description of how and when they were established, and by whom, giving a brief description of previous experience in similar work.
EOI format
Applicants are invited to submit their Expression of Interest in the attached template that should not exceed total 6 pages.
EOI submission
By 1 April, 1700 hours, at registry of the Fund Management office in Yangon
Three Diseases Fund
c/o UNOPS Registry
EOI Round 2
137/1 ThanLwin Road
Kamayut
Yangon
EOI submission by e-mail is encouraged at registry_EOIRound2@3dfund.org (by 1 April, 1700 hours, signed copies to be forwarded by regular post mail)
1 Australia, European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom
2 Managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Three Diseases Fund
No. 137/1 Than Lwin Road, Kamayut, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: +95-1-534498, fax: 504832, e-mail: info@3dfund.org, www.3dfund.org
