FY 2025 PEPFAR Cameroon Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund – Submit Applications Now!

Deadline: 02-Oct-2024

The U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé-Cameroon, U.S. President Emergency Plan for Aids Relief of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications under the FY 2025 PEPFAR Cameroon Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund.

Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund 

• The Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund in Cameroon seeks to empower youth to lead the design and implementation of HIV-related prevention, care, and treatment efforts that will accelerate the achievement of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 outcomes among youth in Cameroon. At the same time, the Youth Fund will prioritize the organizational and technical capacity of youth-led organizations nationally to catalyze their impactful engagement in the national HIV response against the backdrop of “nothing for the youth without the youth.”
• Specific objectives of the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund include:
  • To strengthen the operational and advocacy capacities of Youth Led Organizations enrolled in the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund project by mid-2026
  • To directly provide resources to Youth Led Organizations in Cameroon by mid-2026 to enhance their ability to do HIV advocacy, to effectively address HIV prevention, treatment and support within their communities.
  • To improve HIV prevention, care and treatment services for youth in Cameroon by mid-2026 through the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund project.
• Phases
  • The Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund in Cameroon will be split into two phases covering a period of up to 24 months. All phases will be carried out in partnership with youth organizations to allow youth to co-lead the Youth Fund.
    • Phase 1: Discover and Innovate (9 months)
      • The first phase will include additional exploration and confirmation of youth needs, ensuring a wide range of youth are included in the consultations. Youth-led organizations (YLOs) will be identified for participation in the Youth Fund based on agreed upon criteria. Capacity assessments will be conducted on selected YLOs to inform capacity strengthening in both technical/programmatic skills as well as operational/institutional skills. Through specific capacity strengthening mechanisms, PEPFAR agencies will strengthen the capacity of YLOs and support them to design innovative approaches to close the gaps across the cascade for youth and to develop small grant proposals to pilot identified solutions. The Youth Fund will be coordinated with other donors and organizations working in the space of youth leadership within the HIV response to ensure alignment and prevent duplication of efforts.
    • Phase 2: Pilot (11 months)
      • YLOs will have the opportunity to pilot their innovations in phase 2. Capacity strengthening will continue during phase two, per the capacity strengthening plan with the possibility of on-demand capacity strengthening based on needs that arise during piloting. Monitoring and evaluation will be emphasized to ensure quality data are collected both about the pilot (process) and its outputs/outcomes. An endline capacity assessment will take place at the end of the project to document changes in youth capacity. The pilot phase will also include a full media campaign including both social media and traditional media components. The media campaign will be based on global themes suggested by PEPFAR and contextually adapted by YLOs in Cameroon.

Funding Opportunity: PEPFAR Cameroon Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund Secretariat

• The principal mission of the secretariat is to coordinate the technical, operational, and managerial activities of the PEPFAR Cameroon Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund.
• The Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund, which will serve YLO nationwide, will be coordinated by a secretariat, which is envisioned to be comprised of a national network of youth organizations. The secretariat will be responsible for mobilizing diverse youth-led organizations from across the country which are representative and inclusive of youth including those from vulnerable and under-represented populations and youth serving in the military. The secretariat (applicant) will work with PEPFAR and government counterparts, including the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs and other identified stakeholders to coordinate the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund including finalizing the project workplan, convening a Youth Fund oversight committee, coordinating capacity assessments to develop a capacity strengthening plan for the Youth Fund, and coordinating capacity strengthening utilizing resources provided through the Youth Fund. The secretariat will also develop and implement a monitoring, evaluation and reporting plan for the Youth Fund, as well as advocate on the behalf of participating youth-led organizations to ensure their needs are being met. The applicant will equally coordinate the dissemination of project outcomes and learnings not only to other development partners and Government but also to all YLOs involved in the Youth Fund, using standardized approaches and methods.

Funding Information

• Total available funding: $115,000
• Award amounts: awards may reach $ 115,000.
• Program performance period: 20 months
• Number of awards anticipated: 01 award.
• Anticipated program start date:  November 1, 2024

Illustrative Activities

• The following are illustrative activities and shouldn’t be interpreted as a complete list of activities. Applicants are encouraged to review the list, propose new activities, and modify the ones below, including the rationale for modification.
  • Phase 1: Discover and Innovate
    • In collaboration with PEPFAR Cameroon, organize a Youth summit, to kick-start multisector consultations, including mobilizing diverse youth-led organizations from across the country which are representative and inclusive of youth to participate in the summit;
    • Finalize the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund objectives, workplan, and phase 1 monitoring indicators;
    • In collaboration with PEPFAR Cameroon and all key stakeholders, coordinate the implementation of a capacity assessment covering operational and technical skills of YLOs participating in the Youth Fund;
    • Based on the results of a capacity assessment, collaborate with USG to develop a continuous capacity strengthening plan covering both operational and technical skills to further prepare the YLOs to implement their pilots and ensure their periodic evaluations.
    • Coordinate capacity strengthening activities utilizing resources provided through the Fund.
  • Phase 2: Pilot
    • Coordinate the collection and sharing of project workplans and M&E plans of funded small grants projects;
    • Continue to coordinate capacity development activities utilizing PEPFAR provided resources;
    • Expand the project M&E plan to incorporate those indicators collected by funded small grants;
    • Coordinate the dissemination of project outcomes and learnings to other development partners and Government using standardized approaches and methods;
    • Coordinate activities contributing to a national communication campaign as relevant (communication campaign to be funded through a separate award);
    • Participate in monitoring small grant projects.
  • Cross-Cutting
    • Advocate on behalf of youth and youth-led organizations to ensure the needs of YLO are met through the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund;
    • Serve as secretariat for the planning, coordination and communication around the Youth Fund events and activities as needed;
    • Coordinate the collection and reporting of all project indicators;
    • Coordinate success stories and articles through implementation, raise awareness on project outcomes, disseminate effective solutions/proof of concept and advocate for advance health equity.

Eligibility Criteria

• A youth-led independent and locally registered organization in Cameroon will be selected to assume the role of the Youth Catalytic Innovation Fund Secretariat. The youth organization should cover, or be able to engage with, all youth groups across all regions of Cameroon, including AGYW, young KPs, youth in-school and school dropouts, as well as other groups such as military youth. The following criteria will be considered in selecting the final applicant.
  • Legal Status and Governance
    • Have an authorization or an act of recognition issued by the competent authority in Cameroon.
    • Have a legal statute, internal regulations, and a document presenting the organizational chart of the organization.
    • Nationally Representative of Youth
    • Leadership and executing body should be composed of majority young people, of age ten to twenty-nine years (10-29);
    • Have professional experience (at least three years (03) in one of the following fields: health, prevention of HIV, STIs and/or TB; community mobilization; advocacy or human rights among adolescents and young people with a similar scope to this opportunity
  • Operational
    • Have documentation attesting to the functionality of the organization for the last three (03) years, e.g.: minutes, attendance sheets, reports of general meetings, statutory meetings, meetings of the council of governing bodies, etc.
    • Have proof of a physical location (a structure with a physical address, easily accessible and equipped with basic working materials: computer, chairs, tables, writing material etc) of the headquarters of the Organization.
    • Existence of Standard Operational Procedures manual for administrative, financial management and procurement.
    • Have at least three (3) years’ experience in managing multi-year national projects of $220, 000 or more;
    • Existence of Standard Operational Procedures manual for administrative, financial management and procurement which includes cash management, security, and control procedures.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.