Health Partnership Scheme Multi Country Partnership Grants

Transcription

1 Health Partnership Scheme Multi Country Partnership Grants Grant Overview 1 Purpose The Health Partnership Scheme supports the development of health services in poor countries. It is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and engages the UK s health sector in a four-year programme that will harness UK health institutions and professionals in partnerships with lowincome country counterparts. The purpose of the partnerships is to improve health outcomes through skills transfer, capacity development, and other collaborative work. The focus for the Multi Country Partnerships (MCPs) will be on effectively leveraging the knowledge and expertise from UK health partners in areas of health systems strengthening and contribute towards meeting the MDG 4,5,6 targets through projects with transformational impact. Objectives The 4 core objectives of the Multi Country Partnerships grant scheme are to: Leverage UK health professionals skills to build the capacity of health systems in less developed countries Contribute towards meeting MDG 4,5 or 6 Improve health outcomes for people living in poverty Foster long-term partnerships between health institutions 2 Size & duration of MCP Grants MCP Grants are available for periods between twelve and twenty-four months. Grant applications for less than twelve months or more than twenty-four months will not be considered. Please note this is the second round of the MCP grants, the grants awarded in this round are of a lower maximum value and duration than those awarded in Round 1. Grant applications should be for between 200,000 and 500,000 per annum. The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 1

2 The project start date is expected to be in April Eligibility criteria for MCP Grants Core Eligibility Eligibility for project funding from the HPS Multi Country Partnership grants is contingent on meeting the following five core eligibility criteria: All lead and sub partner institutions are eligible institutions Project spans three or more eligible countries (not including the UK) Partners exhibit a track record of implementing projects in developing countries Up to a twenty-four month implementation timeline Maximum budget of 500,000 per year for between twelve and twenty-four months Institutional Eligibility In order to be eligible as the UK lead partner institution you must be recognised as a health education, regulatory or healthcare delivery institution by the UK Department of Health. Eligible institutions include: NHS Trusts Professional associations Higher education institutions Strategic Health Authorities Private hospitals Lead UK partners will be responsible for signing the grant contract and overall delivery and reporting of the project. It is essential that the UK lead partner institution has experience of leading programmes in less developed countries and has strong administrative and financial processes. As part of the application process, Lead UK partner institutions will be required to undergo an organisational assessment which covers financial, management and partnership capacity. To be eligible as an UK sub partner institution you must be recognised as a health education, regulatory or healthcare delivery institution by the UK Department of Health. Eligible institutions include: NHS Trusts Professional associations Higher education institutions Strategic Health Authorities Private hospitals UK non-governmental organisations are also eligible but must be registered with a relevant charity regulatory body. The role of UK sub partners is to provide additional capacity and technical input to the project, or to provide specialised services. The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 2

3 In order to be eligible as the Developing Country lead partner institution you must be recognised as a health education, regulatory or healthcare delivery institution by your country s Ministry of Health. Eligible institutions include: Government recognised health institutions Professional associations Medical education institutions Ministry of Health departments and district or regional health offices Lead developing country partners will be responsible for coordinating partnership activities within their country and the associated financial and narrative reporting. To be eligible as a Developing Country sub partner institution you must be recognised as a health education, regulatory or healthcare delivery institution by your country s Ministry of Health. Eligible institutions include: Government recognised health institutions Professional associations Medical education institutions Ministry of Health departments and district or regional health offices Non-governmental organisations are also eligible but must be registered with a relevant charitable regulatory body. The role of developing country sub partners is to support delivery of project activities, coordinate country activities effectively and contribute to country narrative and financial reporting Important exclusions Local non-governmental organisations are defined as organisations whose governance board and management are based in the developing country and have complete autonomy in their decision making. Non-governmental organisations who do not meet this definition are not eligible for the scheme. While non-governmental organisations are eligible as UK or developing country sub partners together they cannot receive more than 30% of the overall project budget. Private for-profit health institutions are not eligible as developing country partners unless they can clearly demonstrate that the majority of their services are delivered free of charge to people living in poverty. It is difficult to anticipate and define all exceptions and exclusions to eligibility. The Technical Review Panel (TRP) will have the final decision on whether submitted projects are in keeping with the spirit and overall goal of the HPS, even if they are not technically excluded from the above criteria. Country eligibility Partnerships are required to be between the UK and DFID/Devolved Administration priority countries. DFID and Devolved Administration priority countries are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 3

4 Nigeria, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia (including Somaliland), South Africa, South Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe. 6 Project requirements The applications will be judged against the following criteria: Single, time-bound project deliverable within the budget and timeframe of the HPS MCP grant The project contributes to the overall purpose of the HPS MCP programme The project contributes towards achieving MDGs 4,5 or 6 The project is aligned with country health policies and plans The project delivers appropriate and innovative solutions [the term innovation speaks to not just the development or implementation of new ideas but new ways of applying/adapting/developing existing techniques or initiatives] The project plans are clear and logical with a focus on outcomes The projects demonstrate value for money 7 Funding restrictions The HPS Multi Country Partnership scheme will fund: Travel Communication Training Medical equipment (see note below) Minor rehabilitation / refurbishment of infrastructure (see note below) Monitoring and evaluation Project management staff costs (maximum 15 % of total project costs) Please note: There is a joint maximum on the funds allocated to medical equipment and minor infrastructural development costs which is cumulatively 20% of the total project budget. The HPS Multi Country Partnership scheme will not fund: Large infrastructural development Consumables Course fees Backfill for UK volunteers Staff salaries (with the exception of project management staff up to 15%) The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 4

5 8 Application and selection process Step 1: Concept paper Concept papers must be submitted using the concept paper template. Applicants will be required to submit information on the following: Partners Track record of implementing projects Assessment of needs Contribution towards meeting the MDG 4,5,6 targets, particularly in poor and rural areas Outline of project (goal, outcomes and outputs) Total budget requested broken down into a maximum of twenty-four months Step 2: Shortlisting Concept papers will be reviewed by three THET staff members using a specifically designed scorecard. The scorecard will assess the submissions according to the following criteria: Eligibility of the partners and the proposed project Both of the lead partners track record of implementing projects in developing countries Quality of the needs assessment Potential contribution to health systems strengthening through addressing MDG 4,5 and 6 Project planning clarity and logic Innovative approach to addressing the identified problem The value-add of the chosen lead partners Step 3: Feedback A recommended half-day feedback session will be held by THET staff with each shortlisted applicant. The purpose of the feedback meeting is to convey THET s recommendations about the project giving the partnerships time to strengthen their proposals in certain areas before the submission of their final full application for review by the Technical Review Panel. Unsuccessful applicants will be sent written feedback including the rationale for why their submission was unsuccessful. Step 4: Lead Partner Assessment An organisational assessment of the lead UK partner will be undertaken by THET staff during the application development period. The assessment will take the form of a half-day meeting at the applying institution and is not reviewing the project specifically but the general capacity of the partner to lead a large development programme. THET will score the applicant using a structured scorecard covering the following areas: Financial management systems (processes, checks and balances etc.) Human resource and management capacity Partnership dynamics and stability (relationship history, nature of agreements, dynamic between partners etc.) The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 5

6 The assessments will rank the applicants on an organisational risk scale of high, medium or low. The findings will be presented to the Technical Review Panel. Step 5: Proposal application All application papers must be submitted using the templates provided by THET and will be reviewed by a Technical Review Panel (THET members of staff will not be members of that panel). Free form applications will not be considered. Applications will comprise of: Application form (template) Activities timeline (template) Budget spreadsheet (template) Signed letters of commitment from all partners It would be helpful if you provided signed letters of support from relevant Ministries of Health alongside your completed application Step 6: Selection The final stage of assessment of the applications and the final selection of successful applications will be made by the Technical Review Panel (TRP). The TRP will be comprised of five members with experience in: Implementing development projects in developing countries Clinical medicine Public health The TRP will review all applications plus the Lead Partner Assessment before meeting. During the meeting, each applicant will be required to present their project and answer questions from the TRP. The decisions of the TRP are final. Step 7: Project review Following selection, successful applicants will be provided with written TRP feedback and recommendations. THET staff will meet with successful applicants and work with them to integrate the TRP recommendations into their project plans. Step 8: Grant contracts Grant contracts will be signed between THET and the Lead UK partner institutions/organisation. The contracts will outline: The terms of the award of the grant and the restrictions over the use of funds Reporting requirements and timeline The predicted expenditure and timelines of tranche payments Conditions under which funds can be withdrawn/reclaimed The contracts will be accompanied by the reporting templates that grantees will be required to submit. Step 9: Monitoring and reporting The financial reporting schedule will run independently with tranche payments going automatically every quarter. The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 6

7 Narrative and financial reports on project progress will be required on a bi-annual basis. All reports must be submitted using the reporting template that accompanies the grant contract. All grantees are expected to produce a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan during the inception phase of their project. Grantees are also required to build an external evaluation of the project into their project plan, which will feed into their final report. THET HPS Team July, 2012 The Health Partnership Scheme R2 MCP Grant Overview Page 7