Deadline: 16 November 2016
The Comic Relief is currently inviting eligible entities for its initiative “HIV, Diversity and Dignity” across UK and Sub-Saharan Africa, which will simultaneously build the capacity of Key Populations and their organisations to remove structural barriers like stigma, which stop these groups from accessing services, give them a voice and improve the policy environment to claim their rights.
This initiative will also strengthen livelihoods for Key Populations. Comic Relief funding will not support direct service provision, but be used to strengthen advocacy and to develop referral pathways and accountability efforts to ensure access to comprehensive services for Key Populations.
Comic Relief’s resources will focus on addressing the needs of Key Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Funding Available
The maximum grant available is £250,000 and a grant length of three to five years. The funding could be used to start new activities according to identified needs of Key Populations, or to strengthen existing work. Applicants can either request 100% funding from Comic Relief, or part funding for proposed activities.
Programme Outcomes
Comic Relief will invest in programmes that include some combination of the following elements, according to the main needs of the programme beneficiaries and the ability of the programme to deliver different types of activities:
- An increase in access to appropriate user-friendly and high-quality services leading to improved health for Key Populations.
- Inclusion of Key Populations in the community and society as a result of reduced stigma and discrimination and/or more beneficiaries having relevant coping and life skills, leading to Key Populations participating in life within their families, communities and countries.
- Good quality support to improve and secure livelihoods for Key Populations, through savings and/or developing income sources, particularly for beneficiary groups that are relatively poor or who experience large fluctuations in their income.
- New and stronger partnerships between Key Population organisations and potential allies in society, such as existing providers of health and other services, community leaders, law enforcement, and other relevant sources of support.
- Empowerment of Key Populations leading to their voices being heard and strengthening legislation and policies for an improved policy environment, and to create lasting change.
- Systems enabling key populations to report on quality and accessibility of services are established.
- Strengthened technical capacity of organisations led by Key Populations and their networks leading to high quality community-based activities for Key Populations and linkages with friendly services and other relevant stakeholders.
Guiding Principles
Comic Relief will fund rights-based activities that:
- Are led by key populations or actively involve key populations in governance and / or programme implementation
- Are innovative and creative and demonstrate measurable results and outputs
- Reflect a strong focus on community participation
- Build on and leverage existing impact
- Fill a clear and demonstrable gap/niche in the country HIV response
- Value learning and sharing of lessons
- Leverage funding and support from government and other local partners
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be based in the UK and working with partners in Sub-Saharan Africa who are either capacity building organisations that support community groups of Key Populations, or working directly with organisations led by Key Populations, or their networks.
- Building capacity of these organisations is a key outcome of this initiative.
- The UK and local partners must have a demonstrated record of working with Key Populations of at least five years.
How to Apply
Applications should be submitted online via given website.
Eligible Countries: Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia and the UK.
For more information, please visit this http://www.comicrelief.com/grants/initiatives/hiv-diversity-and-dignity
