Questions and Answers – Call for concept notes – Resilient health systems for all
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This web page includes questions from potential applicants and answers from Global Affairs Canada regarding the Call for concept notes - Resilient health systems for all. This web page is not a substitute for the guidance on the application process provided on the web page of this Call, the Partners@International portal and the application form.
Please note that Global Affairs Canada may re-draft questions from applicants in order to protect their identities, as well as to ensure that the questions and answers are broadly applicable to all applicants.
Please note that the deadline for submitting questions regarding this call for proposals is Thursday, June 08, 2023 at 12 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time. Answers to questions received before this deadline will be posted below.
General
What is GAC’s expectation regarding the cost share requirement
The cost share requirement for this Call is at least 5% of the total eligible direct project costs over the life of the project in cash and/or in-kind in accordance with GAC’s Policy on Cost-Sharing for Grant and Non-Repayable Contribution Agreements.
Does GAC have a preference in terms of the number of Canadian partners (as signatory) for innovation-related concept notes?
Organizations can apply on their own or with other applicants. Concept notes will be assessed based on overall merit (eligibility requirements, required project parameters, required experience, and how well they address the 3 core components: development challenge, solution, organization capacity – as per criteria found on the call page).
Does GAC have a preference in terms of the number of countries targeted?
No. Your proposed project should take place in one or more official development assistance-eligible countries.
Is there a fixed project start date for projects that will be funded under this Call?
Multiple factors affect project start dates, such as the volume of proposals the Department must assess and the time required to negotiate financial instruments. Global Affairs Canada hopes to begin projects under this Call in fiscal year 2024-2025.
Is there a limit to the number of projects that GAC is willing to fund in the same country/region?
There is no identified limit to the number of projects per region. Approximately 50% of the overall funding will be allocated to projects with activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Global Affairs Canada seeks to fund a diverse portfolio of projects.
Are the citations included in the word/page count? What format or style should they be in?
Yes, citations are included in the word/page count. They can be written in the format of the applicant’s choosing.
Will GAC be holding an informational webinar for potential applicants to this call?
GAC will not host a webinar at the concept note stage.
Will Global Affairs Canada launch a new Call for concept notes for projects aiming to strengthen health systems in the future?
The nature or theme of future Global Affairs Canada's Calls for concept notes or proposals are unknown at this time. Please refer to GAC’s page on Current and upcoming funding opportunities for regular updates on this.
Will feedback be provided to organizations that have submitted a concept note?
No. We do not give applicants detailed feedback on their initial application. Limiting feedback on initial applications enables us to respond to applicants and advance the whole process much more quickly than would otherwise be the case. Detailed feedback may be requested on full proposals.
Are there any specific geographic restrictions under this call? (countries, conflict zones, fragile contexts?)
It is expected that submitting organizations have ensured that the choice of countries and local implementing partners takes into account complex geopolitical and security contexts and their inherent programming restrictions. Some very fragile or authoritarian contexts may not lend themselves to achieving the expected results.
Why do I get an error message when I try to download the PDF forms from the call page?
This is a common problem as some Web browsers (like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) do not open PDF files in Adobe Reader. For this reason, the call page includes instructions on how to access and use PDF forms, which can be found under the section “Accessing and using PDF forms.” This section notably states the following:
“If you are having difficulty downloading the concept note form, see GAC’s Help web page for guidance. Once downloaded, open the form directly in Adobe Reader only.”
What is the definition of a “Local Partner”?
Global Affairs Canada’s Contribution Agreement- General Terms and Conditions page defines “Local Partner” as an organization established in a recipient country participating in the implementation of the Project pursuant to a Sub-Agreement.
Will an extension to the submission deadline for concept notes be entertained by Global Affairs Canada?
Complete application packages must be deposited in the Partners@International portal before 12 pm (noon) Eastern Time on June 29, 2023.
This deadline will not be extended.
What is the difference between lead “signatory,” “co-signatories,” and “non-signatory”?
Signatory refers to the organization that signs the financial instrument.
If there is more than one signatory identified in a concept note, then all organizations are co-signatories.
Each concept note must identify one lead signatory (“Signatory number 1” in the concept note form). In addition to submitting the concept note on behalf of all signatories, the lead signatory would be the subject of financial viability analysis at the full proposal stage. In cases where there are concerns about financial viability of the lead, analysis may be done on co-signatories.
Non-signatory organizations may partner or collaborate with the signatory or co-signatories in the achievement of project activities.
Only signatories (lead signatory and co-signatories) need to meet the eligibility criteria.
How do I complete Section 3 Organization Capacity of the form if I have only one current or past project example?
No empty space must be left in the application form to be validated. If only one project example is provided, please enter under the second project example: “N/A” in all text fields, “$1” in the CAD$ fields, and any date as the start and end dates.
Why does the English concept note form, section 3.0, include an extra text box, compared to the French?
This oversight was corrected as of June 1, 2023. Partners having downloaded the PDF French concept note form prior to this date are invited to download it again. It should be noted, however, that organizations having submitted their concept note using the French form missing a text box in section 3.0 will not be penalized.
Is information available on previously funded projects?
Information about projects that have been funded by the Department is available through Project Browser.
Application Process and Eligibility
Does the size of the lead organization determine the amount it can apply for?
No. It is up to the applicant to demonstrate that it has the required experience to implement the proposed project.
Can construction experience be demonstrated in sectors other than health? (e.g. construction of schools with latrines).
Yes. GAC is looking for at least 3 years of construction experience in developing countries, either in health or other sectors.
Will preference be given to multi-country proposals over single-country proposals?
Your proposed project should take place in one or more official development assistance-eligible countries. No preference will be given to either multi or single country proposals.
Does having received funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) decreases an organization’s chances of being selected under this Call? / Will there be a percentage of funds earmarked for organizations that don't have existing funding relationships with GAC?
No. Concept notes will be assessed based on overall merit (organization eligibility, required project parameters, required experience, and how well it addresses the 3 core components: development challenge, solution, organization capacity – as per criteria found on the Call page).
Will it possible to add an extra local partner later, after the concept note is approved?
Yes. Concept notes will be assessed based on the information provided with the initial application. Selected applicants invited to submit a full application package will have the opportunity to provide additional details and clarifications to the initial concept note. Any changes or additions to the initial concept should remain within the scope of the initially proposed concept.
How does GAC assess innovation?
Global Affairs Canada assesses innovation based on the three necessary conditions in its innovation equation: 1) implementation, 2) value-added, and 3) new or improved. Locally-driven approaches and the involvement of beneficiaries/agents are best practices that also help with Global Affairs Canada’s assessment of innovation. Further instructions on how best to meet each of these criteria can be found here: Tip sheet 5.1 - Reporting on innovation in international assistance.
Will concept notes working in sectors unrelated to health be accepted? (e.g. justice, education, etc.)
Your application should address one or more of the inter-related 6 building blocks of health systems as per the World Health Organization (WHO), and should also demonstrate alignment with local health system gaps and priority needs.
That said, preference may be given to applications that incorporate one or more of the criteria listed under the "Additional guidance" section of the Call page, including multisectoral approaches that aim to comprehensively address the health of diverse groups of women, adolescents and children, and to increase demand, use and access to primary health care services.
Reminder that applicants must develop their own project-specific expected outcomes, which need to align with the ultimate outcome and 1 or more intermediate outcomes that derive from the 10-year health commitment results framework.
Is it possible to partner with a non-Canadian organisation based outside the country(ies) of implementation?
For this call, the lead organization (signatory) or lead organizations (signatories) must be legally incorporated in Canada, i.e. it (or they) must have obtained a business number from the Canada Revenue Agency. It is the applicant's responsibility to demonstrate that the proposed approach represents best value-for-money and that it has an appropriate reach/impact, including through demonstration that the proposed implementing partners have the capacity to deliver relevant results.
Can a public or government organization be considered a local partner?
Yes. Global Affairs Canada's General Terms and Conditions for Contribution Agreements define 'local partner' as an organization established in a recipient country participating in the implementation of the Project pursuant to a Sub-Agreement. The applicant must therefore ensure that the local partner(s) involved in the project will be able to meet the requirements described by the General Terms and Conditions, including the establishment of sub-contracts and/or sub-agreements (Article 10).
Will concept notes received for both funding envelopes be assessed concurrently or separately?
All concept notes received under the present Call will be assessed at the same time and share the same timelines.
Is it possible for partner organizations to partner with the private sector?
Yes.
Can new partners be added as signatories during the process, for example at the full application stage?
No. No other signatories can be added later in the process.
In the event of a consortium, are all signatories expected to make a financial contribution to the project?
In the event of a consortium (more than one signatory to the financial instrument), the signatories are jointly responsible for meeting the minimum 5% cash and/or in-kind cost-share requirement.
In the “organizational capacity” section, can the individual experiences of employees be taken into account in the example initiative?
No. Only experiences from signatory organizations are accepted.
Will the concept notes be assessed as a whole, or will the respective sections be assessed individually? For example, will the organization's capacity only be considered by going through the section '3.0 Organization Capacity', or the contents of the other sections may also count towards the assessment of this capacity?
You should provide in your concept note a project example or project examples that are relevant to the work being proposed. For example, if there are construction activities in the proposed project, you must demonstrate how your organization meets the 3-year experience minimum, as per the relevant eligibility requirement; this should be done under section '3.0 Organization Capacity, however, if relevant content to the assessment of this criteria is provided elsewhere in the concept note, it will be taken into consideration in GAC's assessment.
Is there a word count limit for each of the Development challenge, Solutions and Organizational capacity sections of the concept note form?
There is no word count limit for each of the sections of the concept note form; the page count is overall and validated by the form.
In the event that there are several co-signatories, is it mandatory for each of the organizations to present, in the "Organizational capacity" section, an example of a previous project or is a single example from one of the signatory organizations enough?
As part of this call, the signing partner(s) must provide at least 1 recent past project example in the application form. In the case of a consortium, the example(s) provided may come from a single signatory or from several co-signatory organizations. Canadian organizations that do not meet the project experience requirements are encouraged to partner with other applicants.
Will GAC be sharing the evaluation criteria that will be used to select concept notes?
The assessment criteria are already included on the Call page under the section “How we assess your concept note”. Applications that will be invited to submit full proposals will be selected based on these criteria. Preference may be given to applications that incorporate one or more of the criteria listed under the “Additional guidance” section of the Call page.
Is an Organization that is legally incorporated in Canada, but which does not have an office in the country, eligible for this Call?
For this Call, your organization must be legally incorporated in Canada, i.e. it must have obtained a business number from the Canada Revenue Agency.
When will a decision regarding the selected concept notes be communicated to applicants?
The exact timing of the decision will vary based on the number of applications received. However, GAC is aiming to communicate with applicants towards the end of September.
What is the expected duration of projects in each of the funding envelopes?
a. Health Systems Strengthening envelope: Global Affairs Canada is looking for 7-year projects only;
b. Testing Promising Approaches to Health System Strengthening envelope: Global Affairs Canada is looking for projects that would be implemented over a maximum of 5 years. As such, projects that are less than 5 years will be considered.
Will GE-3 concept notes be given preference over GE-2 concept notes for this call?
No. GE-3 projects will not necessarily be selected over GE-2 projects. Concept notes will be assessed based on overall merit (eligibility requirements and required project parameters – as per criteria found on the call page).
However, please note that your project should at a minimum fully integrate gender equality (GE-2). As such, it should have at least one intermediate gender equality outcome. This outcome should achieve observable changes in behaviour, practice, or performance that would contribute to gender equality. Activities, outputs, and indicators should reflect adequate resources and support towards designed gender equality outcomes. For additional information on Global Affairs Canada’s Gender Equality coding framework, please review Tool 9: Gender equality coding for initiatives of the FIAP Gender Equality Toolkit for Projects.
Which type of organization can apply under this call?
Under this call, only Canadian organizations are eligible to apply as signatories or co-signatories. For the purpose of this call, "Canadian organization" is defined as an organization legally incorporated in Canada with a Canada Revenue Agency business number.
Does Global Affairs Canada accept concept notes submitted in a different format/template than the one on the call page?
No, any concept note, as well as the other mandatory call documents (attestation of the organization, logic model, information on the local partner) must be submitted in the PDF templates available on the call page, in the section “‘How to present your note concept,”‘ otherwise the note will be rejected.
Does having received funding from Global Affairs Canada decrease an organization’s chances of being selected under this Call?
No. To be considered under this Call, organizations must meet the requirements for eligibility and the project parameters.
How do we confirm that the country we want to work in is eligible for official development assistance?
This Call is open to countries eligible for official development assistance.
Please check that the country your project will take place in is included in the Development Assistance Committee’s List of Official Development Assistance Recipients in 2022-2023. The link to this page is provided on the Call Page under “Geographic alignment” in the “Required project parameters” section. All official development assistance recipient countries identified on that list are eligible under this Call.
Are organizations required to submit additional information with their concept notes (such as any specific budget template(s))?
No. Only the documents requested on the Call Page in the “How to submit your application package” section will be accepted at this stage of the process.
Do non-signatory partners that will be involved in the project need to meet the eligibility criteria?
No. Only the signatories need to meet the eligibility criteria.
Does each individual concept note have to have a minimum of 50% of its budget dedicated to one or more sub-Saharan African countries?
No. Overall, approximately 50% of the entire $300 million funding envelope available under this Call will be dedicated to Sub-Saharan Africa. There is no specific expectation in terms of the location of individual projects (e.g. a project which is 100% in one or more Asian countries will be given the same consideration as a project that would solely be implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa).
Are non-Canadian organizations eligible for this call if they apply in partnership with a Canadian organization who will be the lead signatory?
To be eligible for this call, the proposed signatory or signatories must be legally incorporated in Canada. However, Canadian organizations are permitted to collaborate with other organizations (Canadian and/or non-Canadian), either as signatories (Canadian organizations) and/or non-signatories (Canadian or non-Canadian organizations).
Can a non-Canadian organization be included in the project as a collaborating partner and what is the difference between a co-signatory and a collaborating partner?
Yes, a non-Canadian organization can be included as a collaborating partner. However, a non-Canadian organization will not be able to sign the funding instrument with Global Affairs Canada as lead signatory or co-signatory.
See the preference criteria on localization.
Do all members of a group of organizations need to sign the funding agreement with Global Affairs Canada?
All organizations identified as signatories in the Initiative Summary section of the proposal will be required to sign the funding instrument and meet all the organization eligibility requirements.
Do non-signatory partners need to be registered in the Partners@International portal?
No. Only the signatories need to be registered in the portal.
Can non-signatory partners involved in technical support for the project be located outside of Canada?
Yes. Only the signatory organizations need to meet the organization eligibility requirements for this call.
Can an organization be a signatory on a proposal (as lead) and also be a member of another group of organizations as a non-signatory partner?
Yes. As a signatory, you may submit only one application under this call (funding envelop 1 or 2). You may also participate as a non-signatory partner on other proposals. All organizations applying as a signatory or as a non-signatory must be prepared to carry out their commitments in more than one project should those projects be selected for funding.
Can projects from non-signatory partners be used as examples for the required project experience?
No. The required project experience examples can only be demonstrated by the lead applicant and other signatorie(s).
Is Global Affairs Canada specifically seeking requests from groups of organizations?
No, organizations can apply on their own or with other applicants. Canadian organizations wishing to submit a proposal that does not meet the project experience requirements are encouraged to partner with other applicants.
Are there any Global Affairs Canada priority countries in sub-Saharan Africa for this call (outside of official development assistance-eligible countries)?
No, there are no specific priority countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region for this call. Your project must propose activities in one or more official development assistance-eligible countries. Approximately 50% of the funding from this call will be allocated to projects that include activities taking place in sub-Saharan Africa. As per section 5 of the Organization Attestation, funding must not knowingly be used, either directly or indirectly, in a manner that contravenes Canada’s economic sanctions and export and import controls regimes. More information is available at Types of sanctions and Export and import controls.
Financial Information
How will Global Affairs Canada assess "comparable financial complexities" with respect to required project experience and organizational capacity?
Comparable financial complexities may relate to budget size, repayable components, multi-country/multi-partner projects, procurement etc. The applicant should provide a justification as to why the financial complexities are comparable and would allow the applicant to achieve the proposed project results
How does GAC assess financial viability?
GAC will not systematically assess financial viability at the concept note phase. Additional analysis may be conducted on an as-needed basis. Financial risk is assess using a methodology developed by GAC which combined multiple elements such as a ratio analysis (liquidity, indebtedness), portfolio, results of operation and reserves, capacity to manage level of funding, etc.
What are the eligible budget lines under this Call?
Please refer to the Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives. Note that a detailed budget is not requested at the concept note stage.
Can a partner make a financial contribution? If yes how much?
Yes. The cost share requirement for this Call is at least 5% of the total eligible direct project costs over the life of the project in cash and/or in-kind. Please refer to Article 4 of GAC’s Policy on Cost-Sharing, specifying the types and sources of cost sharing allowed.
What documents are accepted as financial statements?
Refer to the "Organization Eligibility" section of the call page.
You are asked to provide two separate financial statements for the most recent fiscal years. For example, the most recent fiscal year may have ended in March 2023 or December 2022, depending on the fiscal year schedule of your organization. This would be considered one financial statement. Using the same example fiscal years, the second financial statement would be for the fiscal year ending in March 2022 or December 2021. Please remember that you are asked to provide two separate financial statements. Audited statements are preferred. If audited statements are not possible, statements must be signed by a member of the board of directors or delegate, or by the owners.
Is there a minimum amount that should be spent in the country/countries where the project would be implemented?
No. The Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives provides guidance on direct and indirect eligible costs.
What is the indirect rate allowed for sub-grantees in terms of cost recovery?
To be eligible for reimbursement, project costs must be directly related to the project. Please see the Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives for more information on eligible cost elements.
How much are the eligible overhead compensation rates?
Please refer to Section 5 (Policy Requirements) of the Overhead Compensation Policy for Contribution Agreements with Canadian Organizations under the International Development Assistance Program.
Would a non-Canadian organization be eligible to receive funding from GAC?
No. Under this Call, Global Affairs Canada will only sign funding arrangements with Canadian organizations.
Project Information
How does GAC define health systems resilience?
Health system resilience is the ability of health systems not only to prepare for shocks, but also to minimise the negative consequences of such disruptions, recover as quickly as possible, and adapt by learning lessons from the experience to become better performing and more prepared. Resilient health systems can better prevent, prepare for, and respond to future shocks while maintaining essential health services. The Call objectives include improved health system resilience in order to face stressors (such as pandemics, but also climate change, democratic deficit, weak governance) that weaken those systems, and delivery of quality, gender-responsive health care services. The proposed projects should target one or more of the inter-related 6 building blocks of health systems as per the World Health Organization, focusing on a Primary Health Care-based and integrated multi-sectoral approach; and address health system gaps and priorities at the local and community levels.
Are there specific key performance indicators (KPIs) expected under this Call?
Organizations that receive funding under this Call will be expected to work with GAC to ensure relevant result and indicator frameworks are put in place for efficient monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning. Where appropriate, applicants should use the Feminist International Assistance Policy Indicators, and other globally recognized health sector indicators. GAC will share additional guidance with successful applicants on reporting, including the use of key performance indicators, following the concept notes step.
Can traditional medicine play a part in our proposed project?
Your application should address one or more of the inter-related 6 building blocks of health systems as per the World Health Organization (WHO), and should also demonstrate alignment with local health system gaps and priority needs. Traditional medicine can be included if it is part of the target country’s national health system plan and strategy and is aligned with WHO’s traditional medicine strategy (2014–2023) for safe effective use, including standards, supervision and regulatory systems.
How can I know if my proposed project-specific outcomes are acceptable and/or relevant?
The Call’s expected outcomes derive from the 10-year health commitment results framework. Applicants must develop their own project-specific expected outcomes, which need to align with the ultimate outcome and 1 or more intermediate outcomes as detailed on the Call page.
For more information, please refer to the Results-Based Management for International Assistance Programming at Global Affairs Canada: A How-To Guide to ensure that your outcome statements respect GAC’s syntax structure for outcomes and definition of ultimate, intermediate and immediate outcomes.
Will concept notes focussing on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) be prioritized by GAC?
This Call will directly contribute to Canada’s 10 year commitment to Global Health and Rights. As detailed in the "Additional guidance" section of the Call page, preference may be given to applications that incorporate one or more of the criteria listed under that section, including neglected areas of SRHR. Global Affairs Canada seeks to fund a diverse portfolio of projects and the preference criteria could serve this purpose.
Are health supply chains accepted as a component of the strengthening of health systems?
Health supply chain improvement should be linked to one or more (e.g., access to essential medicines; service delivery) of the inter-related 6 building blocks of health systems as per the World Health Organization. It should also address local health system gaps and be aligned with priority needs.
Does GAC have a preference with regards to Triple Nexus (development-humanitarian-peace and security), or other implementation approaches?
No. Applicants must demonstrate how their project will sustainably build and strengthen the resilience of health systems in low and middle-income countries. Concept notes will be assessed based on overall merit – as per criteria found on the Call page. Global Affairs Canada seeks to fund a diverse portfolio of projects. Preference may be given to applications that incorporate one or more of the criteria listed under the ‘Additional Guidance’ section of the Call page.
Is it preferable to address health systems strengthening at the community, regional or national level?
The proposed projects should be aligned with plans, strategies and priorities of national health systems, and focus particularly on Primary Health Care which includes and addresses health system gaps and priorities at the local and community levels.
If pursuing a project in two countries, what is GAC’s preference in terms of reflecting different contexts in the RBM tools?
Expected outcomes should reflect the development issues identified in the concept note. If there is significant differences between expected outcomes for respective countries, this should be made explicit within the concept note. Reminder that RBM tools requested at the concept note phase are limited to a partial logic model (ultimate, intermediate, immediate outcomes).
When asked to provide fact-based evidence, or demonstrate an understanding of key issues related to gender equality, human rights and environmental sustainability, are we expected to do so from a macro, national level, or should it be more focussed on the area(s) of programming proposed?
The gender equality, human rights and environmental sustainability issues presented in the analysis must reflect the proposed project’s context (based on its scale and programming areas) and be aligned with the solution this project puts forward.
Can environmental sustainability and climate resilience be integrated as a criterion of assessment for relevant health policies and programs for the proposal?
Fulsome integration of relevant environmental sustainability and climate resilience considerations is required across the totality of the proposed project concept. Within that context, linkages between environmental sustainability and climate resilience may also me made with regard to the assessment of relevant health policies and programs.
To integrate environmental sustainability and climate resilience into the concept note, can the geographic scope focus on areas that are more prone/affected by environmental challenges?
The geographic focus of the project is the applicant’s choice. Environmental sustainability and climate resilience are to be fully considered and reflected in the context of the proposed project concept.
If an organization meets two of the required project experiences, do these experiences need to be demonstrated in two separate project descriptions in section “3.0 Organizational capacity”? Or can these experiences be demonstrated under a single project example?
A single project can serve to demonstrate that the applicant meets one or more required project experience. You cannot provide two project examples that relate to the same project. Project examples provided must relate to separate projects. It is up to the applicant to describe how the project(s) example(s) provided meet the experience requirements as presented in the section "Required project experience" from the Call page.
What are the preference criteria for localization?
As detailed in the "Additional guidance" section, preference may be given to applications that demonstrate that the project is supporting localization by: providing evidence that the project responds to local needs; being jointly developed with at least 1 local partner; demonstrating that the capacity of local partner(s) will be reinforced, and; ensuring that local partner(s) will be involved in co-managing the project over its life cycle.
How does Global Affairs Canada define "recent past projects experience"?
This question cannot be answered with a set number of years. What is important is that projects provided as examples should have been implemented in a context that is deemed similar or well adapted to the current context in the proposed country(ies) of implementation. Applicants should thus make sure to demonstrate that the context of implementation of the project(s) submitted as example(s) remains relevant today, whether they are 5-10-15 years in the past. For more information, please refer to the Q&A on "comparable context".
In which section of the concept note form should the capacity and/or expertise of local partners be detailed?
Details on the capacity or expertise of local partners should be included in section 3.0 Organizational Capacity.
Are there any specific budgetary or activity requirements for Canadian public engagement?
This Call will directly contribute to Canada’s 10-year commitment to Global Health and Rights. While public engagement activities can be considered, they should represent only a very small portion of the budget should it be decided to include such activities. The inclusion of public engagement activities is not a mandatory project parameter nor considered as an asset criteria.
How will Global Affairs Canada assess “comparable context” as it relates to Required Project Experience and Organizational Capacity?
Applicants should put forward the most relevant experience that relates to the proposed project. If the experience provided is not within the same context (e.g. geography, local culture, type of activities, sector, etc.) as the project being proposed, it is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate, in Section 3.0 of the concept note form, which contextual elements are comparable. The applicant should provide a justification as to why and/or how the experience is comparable and explain how this experience would help achieve the proposed project’s results.
Are proposed projects required to address one or more of the preference criteria found under the “‘Additional guidance”‘ section on the call page?
No. These criteria are assets. Hence, preference may be given to applications that incorporate one or more of these criteria, but it is not mandatory to address these elements in your concept note. Global Affairs Canada seeks to fund a diverse portfolio of projects and these criteria could serve this purpose.
What is the difference between the two funding envelopes?
Under the first envelope (Health Systems Strengthening), Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is looking for project ideas that aim to strengthen health systems through proven approaches – in other words, common or traditional approaches – or the scaling up of innovations that have already been tested and shown successful results. Ideas for scale-ready innovations and other useful information can be found on the websites of organizations such as Grand Challenges Canada and the International Development Innovation Alliance.
For the second envelope (Testing Promising Approaches to Health Systems Strengthening), GAC is looking for project ideas that suggest testing promising approaches to health systems strengthening. In other words, approaches that can be applied to do things differently from commonly used approaches to strengthen the 6 interdependent building blocks of health systems according to the World Health Organization. The Innovation and Transformation Fund (FIT) website offers helpful resources for organizations looking to test potential innovative solutions.
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