Deadline: 20-Nov-20
The Elton John AIDS Foundation, in partnership with Gilead Sciences, is seeking applications for its RADIAN Model Cities programme to support projects that deliver measurable impact in the response to HIV in eligible Russian regions, with a particular focus on the largest city/cities in the region of implementation.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation and Gilead have an established presence in EECA and extensive experience working effectively with key local stakeholders in the region, including through the EECA Key Populations Fund since 2017. RADIAN is the next stage in this partnership to reach some of the world’s most vulnerable people to ensure that no one is left behind in the fight to end the HIV epidemic.
Funding Information
- The program is looking for concept notes for evidence-informed projects in the range of $2,000,000-$4,000,000 to be implemented in eligible locations, lasting between 36 and 48 months.
Outcomes
- Reduced new HIV infections, including among the most vulnerable populations,
- Improved cascade outcomes (people living with HIV know their status, receive ART, and maintain viral suppression), including among the most vulnerable populations,
- Improved wellbeing and reduced stigma and discrimination towards people living with and most at risk of HIV,
- Project learnings and results are effectively documented and disseminated to help other cities and regions across EECA to end their HIV epidemics.
Eligibility Criteria
- For this round of Model Cities grants, projects implementing in one of the following regions, with a focus on the region’s largest city, are eligible to submit Concept Notes for funding:
- Chelyabinsk Oblast, Irkutsk Oblast, Kemerovo Oblast, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Leningrad Oblast (not including the City of St Petersburg), Novosibirsk Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Perm Krai, Samara Oblast, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Tomsk Oblast, Tyumen Oblast.
- Applicants must have a presence in the region of implementation or partner with a local organization with in-region presence. The number of regions selected and grants awarded will depend on the quality of applications received.
- The foundation encourages applications from non-profit, academic, and research organizations.
- Ineligible entities include individuals and governments. No organization may financially profit from the implementation of project activities. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. Cost-share and/or leverage is not required but is strongly encouraged. Co-funding from project partners is encouraged as this demonstrates a key stake in the project’s success by project partners, as well as demand for the solution.
- Concept notes should include a letter in support of the proposal from local healthcare-related state structures in the region of implementation.
- The Applicant must be a registered entity and must have an active organizational bank account.
How to Apply
- The application process for this round of RADIAN grants has two stages, first a Concept Note stage, followed by an Application stage.
- Applications will be invited from those organizations submitting the most relevant Concept Notes, as defined by the eligibility and selection criteria. At the point of the release of this opportunity announcement, the first stage, they are inviting Concept Note submissions.
- Concept Notes should outline a high-level vision for a potential project, with a clear narrative of how this project will achieve the expected outcomes. Compared to the full Application stage, implementation and financial planning can be at a higher level.
Selection Criteria: Model Cities
Strategic Alignment and Impact
- Alignment with Model Cities priorities: Is the applicant proposing hyper-targeted interventions in the project location, using data and innovation to sustainably reduce new HIV infections, improve cascade outcomes, reduce stigma and discrimination, and improve wellbeing for PLHIV and the most vulnerable populations? Is there a particular focus on the largest and city/cities in the region of implementation?
- Theory of Change: Is there a clear strategy, with detailed interventions on how the project would have a significant impact on the HIV epidemic in the project location? Is there a framework beyond activities, focussing on organisational development, data management, capacity-building of local actors, and evaluation and learning? What is the likely impact on new infections, people diagnosed with HIV, people initiated on treatment, AIDS deaths, stigma and discrimination and wellbeing for PLHIV and the most vulnerable populations in the region?
- Evidence-informed Impact: Does the applicant/consortium understand the HIV epidemic in the project location? Does the approach include efforts to gather and use data and insights on the epidemic? Do data and evidence inform intervention strategies?
- Proof of Concept: Is the proposal innovative and likely to create lessons for, and improve programming in Eastern Europe and Central Asia more widely? Is there a clear strategy to produce and disseminate learnings and findings to a wide set of stakeholders?
- Incremental Value: Will the proposed activity complement rather than duplicate existing activities? Will funds add most value if spent in this way in the project location?
Effectiveness
- History of Performance: Does the applicant/consortium have a history of delivering promised outcomes, especially in the project location?
- Expertise & Relationships: Is the applicant/consortium able to deliver complex data-led programming and build capacities? Does the applicant/consortium have the necessary relationships with relevant local stakeholders?
- Organisational & Financial Capacity: Does the applicant/consortium have the resources to deliver a high-budget programme on time and on a budget? Does the applicant/consortium have strong financial and management systems and a track record of managing large grants?
- Transparency: Does the applicant/consortium have a strong history of transparency and accountability?
- Cost-Effectiveness: Is the proposed programme cost-effective in delivering outcomes relative to similar programmes in comparable regions?
- Budget: Is the budget reasonably estimated, with actual costs likely to be close to budgeted costs? 12
- M&E Strategy: Is there a rigorous M&E strategy in place, to determine programme impact, improve programme impact and operations over time, and create broadly shareable learnings?
Sustainability
- Sustainability: Will results achieved in the project be sustained beyond the lifetime of the grant? What will be the programme’s lasting effect on the HIV epidemic in the project location?
For more information, visit https://www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org/what-we-do/what-we-fund/radian/