Call for concept notes: Scaling Care Innovations in Africa

Diverse coalitions and equitable partnerships: Recognizing that scaling impact requires a concerted effort that brings on board multiple stakeholders, the initiative will require successful applicants to form coalitions involving research organizations, government and/or private sector entities, civil society organizations and other key implementing partners that are essential to link research to action.  Active engagement of women’s rights organizations through project co-design is essential to ensure the relevance of the proposed work and its sustainability. Funded proposals are expected to demonstrate effective and equitable partnerships that include shared participation and responsibility in research design, implementation and research uptake, and that ensure mutual accountability among participants for progress, outputs and outcomes.

One partner must be designated as the lead institution. The lead institution should submit the application to IDRC on behalf of the coalition. The lead institution will sign the grant agreement with IDRC and as such be responsible for receiving and administering the funds and ensuring that all grant conditions are met. All other partners will be third party organizations and IDRC will not enter into an agreement with them.

Lead organizations must have independent legal status (or “legal personality”) and be capable of contracting in their own right and name, receiving and administering funds, and have authority to direct proposed project activities. Lead organizations must be able to demonstrate legal status through written documentation. Legal status will only be reviewed if and when applicants are shortlisted following evaluation. 

Local leadership: The lead organization(s) must be based in sub-Saharan Africa and have the capacity to administer and transfer foreign funds. Other collaborating partners may include organizations from within the region; national, regional or international offices of multilateral organizations or international NGOs or other organizations from outside the region.  However, they cannot be the lead. Further, the work needs to be carried out in one or more eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa (see Annex C).

An organization may participate in more than one concept note, yet an individual principal investigator may only lead on one project.

Please contact Jill Sherman at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca for more information.