CONTENTS WHAT IS COMIC RELIEF?

Transcription

1

2 ...

3 CONTENTS WHAT IS COMIC RELIEF? THE CONTEXT FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL GRANTS STRATEGY WHAT WE FUND HEALTH EDUCATION WOMEN AND GIRLS SLUM DWELLERS CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV TRADE, ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN GRANT MAKING PRINCIPLES FUNDING APPROACHES SPORT FOR CHANGE UNDERSTANDING CHANGE CONTENTS

4 2...

5 WHAT IS COMIC RELIEF? Comic Relief is a UK based charity set up in response to the famine in the Horn of Africa in 1985 and is committed to creating a just world free from poverty. Since then, Comic Relief has helped millions of people living really tough lives in the UK and around the world. The focus for most of our international work is Africa, as this continent has some of the highest levels of poverty, inequality and injustice in the world. The good news is that positive change is taking place. There have been significant improvements in many countries in basic health and education. Some African countries are experiencing significant economic growth. And social justice is becoming more embedded in law and practice. We are dedicated to making sure the most marginalised people across the continent have the opportunity to benefit from these positive changes as well as contribute to finding solutions to ongoing problems of poverty and growing inequality. We also support work in a number of cities in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, focussing on our goals relating to education and children and young people at risk. HOW WE WORK Our vision is a just world free from poverty, and we harness all our organisational assets to work towards this by: Making grants and loans to organisations able to create lasting changes to the lives of disadvantaged people Using our unique communications skills to help the public better understand the root causes of poverty and injustice and the role they can play in helping to solve these problems Collaborating with others in civil society, the business community, government and other funders to tackle development challenges. We aim to expand and deepen these relationships, as we believe we will deliver greater change in collaboration rather than going it alone...what IS COMIC RELIEF?

6 4...

7 THE CONTEXT FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL GRANTS STRATEGY The world of international development is changing dramatically. The political and economic dominance of Western countries, through structures such as the G8, is diminishing. Many so-called developing countries are experiencing significant economic growth. Yet across the globe inequality is growing markedly. The relative importance of aid as an instrument of social development is shrinking. Other resource flows, such as foreign direct investment, private philanthropy and diaspora remittances, are gaining greater profile as potential sources of poverty reduction. There is more compelling evidence for how climate change is affecting communities, especially in ecologically fragile regions. The need for all organisations to demonstrate the benefit they bring to poor people is ever more pressing. Comic Relief s grants strategy has been developed during a period of collaboration between the United Nations, governments, civil society and other partners, to build the momentum generated by the Millennium Development Goals, and to continue with an ambitious post 2015 agenda, which provides the broader context for our work....the CONTEXT FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL GRANTS STRATEGY

8 BETTER FUTURES Improving the lives of vulnerable young people in the UK, and enabling some of the world s poorest people to gain access to vital services such as health and education WHAT WE FUND Our UK and International grants strategy has five big themes that we believe can help us to create our vision of a just world free from poverty. These themes can be expressed in more detail through a number of outcomes... HEALTHIER FINANCES Tackling financial poverty and enabling economic resilience in families and communities, as well as supporting enterprise and employment SAFER LIVES Reducing violence, abuse and exploitation STRONGER COMMUNITIES Empowering people, organisations and networks to play an effective role in their communities and society, as well as nurturing talent and leadership FAIRER SOCIETY Helping people overcome inequality and have a say in decisions that affect their lives, whoever and wherever they are 6...

9 Better quality housing and access to affordable water and sanitation Better access to good quality HIV services Increased uptake of primary healthcare services Improved quality of primary healthcare Improved access to good quality basic education and increased retention and attainment Improved access to good quality, relevant, non-formal education and training More secure tenure and management of land, housing and other assets Better working conditions and pay Increased and more secure incomes Greater resilience to environmental risks and shocks Greater protection from violence, exploitation and abuse A reduction in risky sexual practices Integration of children and young people into safe and secure families and communities Safer working environments and protection from harmful work Young people have greater confidence and skills, and a belief in their ability to improve their opportunities in life Organisations and their leaders are more effective in delivering on their mission and strategic goals People and organisations hold decision makers to account and take a greater role in decision making Women and girls and their organisations are influential in driving social change Greater equality between women and men, and girls and boys Laws and policies upholding and protecting the rights of citizens are enacted and implemented A reduction in stigma and discrimination...what WE FUND

10 WHAT WE FUND In order to make the most difference based on our experience, we need to make choices about who, where and what issues we fund, as well as being more flexible and responsive to the organisations we support. In working towards our vision, our focus is on the following goals: 8...

11 OUR GOALS WOMEN AGED AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE HAVE IMPROVED HEALTH DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND ADULTS GAIN ACCESS TO AND ATTAIN A GOOD QUALITY EDUCATION WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE EQUAL AND RESPECTED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY SLUM DWELLERS HAVE AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK ARE SAFER WITH GREATER OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THEIR SKILLS AND LIFE PROSPECTS PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV HAVE AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE POOR PEOPLE CAN IMPROVE THEIR INCOME THROUGH TRADE, ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT...WHAT WE FUND

12 WHY FOCUS ON HEALTH? The link between health and poverty is powerful and operates in both directions. To make gains in addressing poverty, poor people s health must be improved. Health is intricately connected to other factors that influence levels of poverty and social justice. Everyone has a right to good quality healthcare, and improving health contributes to economic development. There has been substantial progress in achieving global health goals in the last two decades. Yet there are also huge inequalities in people s health. These are shaped by factors such as people s age, gender, nutritional status, where they live, their income and education. The effect of climate change on people s health is likely to further exacerbate these inequalities. In sub-saharan Africa, on average one in nine children dies before their fifth birthday, mainly from easily preventable diseases, while nearly one third of children are underweight or stunted. More than 280,000 women die each year of preventable or easily treatable pregnancy related complications. We believe that an increase in the uptake of primary healthcare services is essential to reduce these levels of mortality and illness. Comic Relief aims to improve the health of the poorest and most marginalised. Good quality primary healthcare, as close as possible to where people live, can improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the majority of illnesses, and support quick referral of those cases needing more specialist care. Primary healthcare provision is often hampered by the critical shortage in the health workforce across Africa, often limiting the quality of care provided. Civil society organisations often act as the interface between communities and governments. They can support poor and marginalised communities to influence decision makers so they adopt policies and funding priorities that benefit poor people. And they can stimulate greater community involvement to hold health service providers accountable for accessible and good quality healthcare

13 We will focus our investments on strengthening the systems to improve health. We use the World Health Organisation building blocks in their Framework for Action to Understand Health System Strengthening and the Global Fund framework for Community Systems Strengthening. We have a particular focus on maternal, newborn and child health, including sexual and reproductive health. This is because the health of women and children is critically important to almost every area of human development and progress. We look at supporting creative solutions to barriers to accessing healthcare, such as emergency transport at primary healthcare level. Where relevant, we work with specific issues such as malaria, tuberculosis and immunisation as entry points into broader strengthening of the health system....health

14 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. It suggests that improvements in people s health are most likely to occur in a sustainable way by: Improving both the supply of health services (the availability and quality of services) and the demand for (uptake of) these services Taking an integrated approach which strengthens the health system and addresses the greatest health needs among those who are poorest and most marginalized Focussing on improvements in the health of women of child-bearing age and children under five, which helps to improve the health of the whole population Engaging families and communities in promoting positive health-related behaviour (both preventative and health-seeking), tackling social barriers, and by improving the uptake, delivery and quality of primary health services Applying creative solutions to tackling healthcare gaps and inefficiencies Engaging a range of health service providers including government, private for profit (such as local pharmacists and traditional healers) and private not for profit providers (such as faith-based organisations) Investing in civil society organisations and communities to improve health services as well as holding service providers to account Recognising that government is the duty-bearer in the provision of healthcare and articulation of health policy, and that resources and activities should complement rather than replace government service provision 12...

15 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most significant in achieving our goal: Increased uptake of primary healthcare services Improved quality of primary healthcare People and organisations hold decision makers to account and take a greater role in decision making Comic Relief has limited resources and will focus funding in relation to this goal in the following ways: GEOGRAPHY All funding will be in sub-saharan Africa The majority of funding will be in countries where the under-five mortality rate is above 80 per 1000 live births and/or where the maternal mortality rate is above 300 per 100,000 (according to annual UN interagency group data) TARGET A small proportion of funding will address the health needs of people living in slums APPROACH The majority of funding will address the quality of primary healthcare services A small proportion of funding will address emergency transport A small proportion of funding will deliver change through our social investment approach...health

16 WHY FOCUS ON EDUCATION? For most children, education represents the only way out of a life of entrenched poverty. But school is about much more than just acquiring skills to get a job. It plays a crucial role in promoting wellbeing into adulthood, and creating more cohesive communities and societies. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen an increase in enrolment rates from 58% to 76% between 1999 and Across the continent enrolment rates are rising. Many countries now have an equal number of boys and girls in primary education although girls are still much less likely to complete primary school. Those still missing out on school are often disabled children, the very poorest children, orphans, children in areas affected by conflict, and children from pastoralist communities or from linguistic and ethnic minority groups. There is still much to do to ensure all children get a quality education. In some countries only one in three children complete primary education and make it to secondary school. The factors that contribute to deeply unequal educational quality and completion rates include children starting school when they re older, teacher absenteeism, poor teaching quality and resources, unaccountable schools and education authorities, the poor health and nutritional status of pupils, insufficient investment, and the distance to school. Research shows that parental involvement in children s learning is a key factor in improving children s academic attainment and achievements, as well as their overall behaviour and attendance. The role of parents during a child s earliest years is the single biggest influence on their development. Good quality home learning contributes more to children s intellectual and social development than parental occupation, education or income

17 Comic Relief aims to tackle both access and quality with a special focus on reducing inequality of educational opportunities. Most of our funding will focus on primary education. However we understand that early childhood education is the first and essential step toward achieving primary school completion. We will also support work that facilitates the transition to junior secondary school. We recognise the importance of what is sometimes called second chance education opportunities for children, young people and women who missed out on schooling to acquire a basic education....education

18 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. It suggests that changes in people s education are most likely to change in a sustainable way by: Aiming to reach and include those left out and/or disadvantaged, to enable them to access education and learn Improving learning through approaches that link schools to communities and education to people s families, health and livelihoods Involving children and young people, parents and communities in tackling cultural and other barriers to education, involving them in decision making and influencing the quality of education Making improvements in the quality of basic education, particularly in terms of teaching practice, learning resources, children s involvement, curriculum development and the school environment Investing in school management committees and civil society coalitions to ensure improvements in education services Paying particular attention to the safety of children, especially protecting girls from violence Supporting evidence-based changes in education policy and policy implementation that contribute to better education outcomes for children 16...

19 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most significant in achieving our goal: Improved access to good quality education and increased retention and attainment Greater protection from violence, exploitation and abuse Greater equality between women and men, and girls and boys Young people have greater confidence and skills, and a belief in their ability to improve their opportunities in life People and organisations hold decision makers to account and take a greater role in decision making Laws and policies upholding and protecting the rights of citizens are enacted and implemented With limited funding, Comic Relief has to focus its resources. We will focus our funding in relation to this goal in the following way: GEOGRAPHY The majority of funding will support work in sub- Saharan Africa The remainder of our funding will be for work in a limited number of locations in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. These grants will be for selected partners only TARGET Some funding in this area will be used to support girls to successfully complete primary school and transition to secondary school A significant proportion of funding will be to support children affected by conflict to access quality education A significant proportion of funding will support children with disabilities in ensuring their access to quality education APPROACH A small proportion of this portfolio will be made up of projects adopting a Sport for Change approach...education

20 WHY FOCUS ON WOMEN AND GIRLS? The lives of women and girls across the world have improved dramatically over the last 25 years, but significant gaps in gender equality persist. Limited participation in most areas of decision making and violence against women and girls continue. Even when women and girls have great knowledge of financial and political issues affecting them, they often feel powerless to challenge inequality. Many women s rights organisations have an impressive track record in creating and sustaining change. There is good evidence that supporting them to build strong, inclusive social movements is an effective mechanism for ensuring sustainable change for women and girls. Harmful traditional practices and violence against women and girls drive gender inequality. Significant gaps remain in many countries around family law, legal protection and redress for women. Violence against women and girls is perpetuated by limited services responsible for supporting and protecting women and girls. Women and girls who experience violence, harmful traditional practices and discrimination have diminished ability to participate in public life. They are likely to be significantly underrepresented in almost all decision making positions. Comic Relief aims to support new forms of organising and collective action, primarily by women-led organisations. We invest in organisations of women and girls to set agendas, solve problems, have their skills and knowledge recognised, and increase their self-confidence and self-reliance. And we aim to reduce the prevalence of all forms of violence against women and girls

21 ...WOMEN AND GIRLS

22 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. Experience suggests that the lives of women and girls are most likely to change in a sustainable way by: Supporting organisations that are led and managed by women, as we believe that this is the best way to ensure that women and girls can represent and manage their own agenda for change Recognising that particular groups of women and girls are marginalised and require targeted funding to enable them to organise and represent themselves Adopting an approach that recognises that, throughout their lives, girls and women can be vulnerable and that the precise nature and impact of gender inequality changes as people age and assume new roles in their families and communities Understanding and addressing the underlying causes inequality, tackling the culture of impunity that makes women and girls vulnerable to discrimination, violence, abuse and harmful practices Developing an evidence-base about approaches that demonstrate enduring and positive change, and using this to influence other organisations led by or working with women and girls 20...

23 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most significant in achieving our goal: Women and girls and their organisations are influential in driving social change Greater protection from violence, exploitation and abuse Great equality between women and men, and girls and boys Laws and policies upholding and protecting the rights of citizens are enacted and implemented Increased and more secure incomes Comic Relief has limited resources and will focus funding in relation to this goal in the following ways: GEOGRAPHY All our funding will be for work in sub-saharan Africa TARGET A small proportion of funding will represent work with hard to reach groups, such as sex workers APPROACH About half our funding will address violence, exploitation and abuse of women and girls Some funding will support innovative work that supports women, girls and marginalized groups to drive social change Some funding will seek to generate increased and more secure incomes ORGANISATION TYPE The majority of grants will be to local women led organisations that have women s rights as one of their core organisational objectives A small proportion of grants will be to organisations led by young women (under 25)...WOMEN AND GIRLS

24 WHY FOCUS ON PEOPLE LIVING IN SLUMS AND INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS? More than one billion people in the world live in urban slums and informal settlements. By the year 2030, UN-Habitat predicts that this number will double. In parts of Asia and Latin America, some improvements to water, sanitation and housing for slum dwellers have been made, but elsewhere in the developing world, many towns and cities are struggling to cope with the rate of urbanisation. In sub-saharan Africa, up to two-thirds of urban dwellers are living in dire conditions in slums. Rapid urbanisation is happening all over the world. Many people migrate to seek better economic opportunities in towns and cities. Others are escaping poverty, conflict or hunger in rural areas. The birth rate in urban areas also contributes to rising urban populations. When these pressures are combined with weak municipal governance and lack of infrastructure, informal settlements proliferate and slums become even more overcrowded. Sometimes new slums are created by the redevelopment of older ones, as people are displaced and properties built that the urban poor cannot afford. Slum dwellers often struggle to get their voices heard, resulting in profound inequalities. Slum residents in sub-saharan Africa face many life threatening hazards. There is invariably a lack of safe water and toilets, causing diarrhoeal diseases. Epidemics like cholera and malaria are common due to flooding, poor drainage and uncollected rubbish. Many areas have high rates of violent crime, and women and young girls are particularly at risk. Without formal tenure rights, people face harassment, threats and even eviction, often without justifiable cause and with little or no notice. People living in slum environments are often extremely poor, with precarious, irregular incomes. They need flexible financial services to help them manage their lives, develop businesses, build assets and cope with shocks. Community-run savings and credit schemes can fulfill this need but often require seed funding to get them started

25 Slums and informal settlements can nevertheless be vibrant places to live and work. For many residents, the solution is not to move away, but to live more securely, with better economic opportunities. Proper livelihoods and security of tenure give people the power to change their situation, and in turn are enabled to improve their living conditions. Comic Relief will continue to be a leading grant maker, supporting the urban poor in Africa. We will focus on work that improves the dignity and economic prospects of people living in degrading slum environments. We wish to help slum dwellers have more of a say in decisions affecting where they live, and how they live. And we will support work that both protects people against injustice and promotes their rights....slum DWELLERS

26 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. Experience suggests that the lives of slum dwellers are most likely to change in a sustainable way by: Building the capacity of people living in slums or informal settlements to represent their own needs and demands to landlords, service providers and councils, holding such authorities to account Ensuring greater legal protection for slum residents against unlawful evictions, with help to obtain legal title to land suited to their needs Supporting slum dwellers to work together for greater impact, for example by setting up savings and credit groups, or running social enterprises for the benefit of the community Helping the urban poor to improve their earning potential and afford better housing Involving slum residents (especially women and young adults) in the delivery and management of services that affect them 24...

27 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most significant in achieving our goal. Better quality housing and access to affordable water and sanitation More secure tenure and management of land, housing and other assets Increased and more secure incomes People and organisations hold decision makers to account and take a greater role in decision making Greater resilience to environmental risks and shocks Laws and policies upholding and protecting the rights of citizens are enacted and implemented Comic Relief has limited resources and will focus funding in relation to this goal in the following ways: GEOGRAPHY All our funding will be for work in sub-saharan Africa We will extend our existing city-wide initiatives in Cape Town, Freetown, Lusaka and Kampala to one or two additional cities Funding is also available for work in any town or city in sub-saharan Africa where people face at least three of the five shelter deprivations defined by UN-Habitat. These are: lack of safe water, lack of sanitation, insecure tenure, houses made of temporary materials, or overcrowding APPROACH Most of our funding will address at least one of the following three areas: improved water, sanitation, hygiene and solid waste management; improved tenure and shelter; policy change benefitting slum dwellers...slum DWELLERS

28 WHY FOCUS ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK? Significant progress has been made over the last few decades in improving mechanisms to support children and young people around the world. These include improvements in the legal frameworks and practice that support street children s safety and wellbeing, reductions in child labour among children below the age of 14, and an improvement in the protection of children affected by conflict. However, despite the gains made, millions of children and young people around the world still live in, work in, or continue to be exposed to, extremely harmful and high risk situations. Many leave their homes and families for various reasons, including armed conflict, violence in the family, or the need to earn money. Rapid urbanisation, particularly in Africa, has also contributed to an increase in children and young people living in crowded slum conditions, or on the streets and apart from their families. This leaves many lacking the family or community protection and support they need, along with missing out on a sound education. Significant proportions also suffer from poor physical and psychological health. Violence affecting children and young people, particularly in urban contexts, has increased. Inequality is also growing, leading to children and young people around the world becoming extremely vulnerable to long-term unemployment, involvement in gangs or armed groups along with various forms of violence, exploitation and abuse

29 Comic Relief is committed to supporting initiatives that protect children and young people from harm and encourage enabling environments that help them thrive as responsible citizens. We will do this by supporting them to access the services they need and enabling them to develop the skills they require to fulfill their potential. We are committed to making sure children and young people can safely voice their views and opinions, especially in relation to influencing decisions that affect their lives....children AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK

30 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. Experience suggests that the lives of children and young people at risk are most likely to change in a sustainable way by: Understanding and addressing the root causes that lead children and young people to high risk situations, taking into account their age, gender and the context Taking approaches that help children and young people at high risk of violence, exploitation and abuse in ways that do not expose them to other risks or harm Identifying and working with children and young people s strengths and vulnerabilities as they change at different stages in their lives, in order to increase their confidence and resilience to address the challenges they face Ensuring children and young people have opportunities to actively participate and contribute to society and influence decisions that affect their lives Enabling children and young people to access long-term, relevant and quality education, training and livelihood opportunities that support them to achieve their potential Ensuring that everyone with a responsibility towards children and young people i.e. families, community members, government officials plays their part in making sure protective policies, structures and actions are in place that support justice and meet their basic needs and rights 28...

31 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most significant in achieving our goal: Greater protection from violence, exploitation and abuse Integration of children and young people into safe and secure families and communities Improved access to good quality, relevant, non-formal education and training Increased and more secure incomes Safer working environments and protection from harmful work People and organisations hold decision makers to account and take a greater role in decision making Comic Relief has limited resources and will focus funding in relation to this goal in the following ways: GEOGRAPHY The majority of funding will be for work with children and young people in sub-saharan Africa The remainder of our funding will be for work in a limited number of locations in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. These grants will be for selected partners only TARGET Most of our funding will target children and young people living on or making a living from the street, engaged in harmful or high risk work, affected by gender based violence, not in education, employment or training, affected by conflict or violence, or who are highly stigmatised APPROACH The majority of funding will focus on children and the remainder on young people This portfolio will include a proportion of projects adopting a Sport for Change approach ORGANISATION TYPE Some of our funding will be allocated to youth-led organisations...children AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK

32 WHY FOCUS ON PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV? Huge progress has been made in reducing new HIV infections in many countries and getting more people on antiretroviral treatment. By 2012, seven million people with HIV were on antiretroviral therapy across Africa. UNAIDS reports that countries in sub-saharan Africa are leading a global decline in new HIV infections and that 22 countries have seen a drop of 25% in new HIV cases. More than ever before, people with HIV are living longer, healthier, more productive lives, and playing an important role in strengthening the response to HIV. In spite of these gains, challenges remain. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most affected by HIV and accounts for 69% of the people living with HIV in the world. While treatment is now widely available in sub-saharan Africa, poverty often limits access to interventions to help manage HIV. Even when antiretroviral drugs are free, other associated costs keep treatment out of reach for millions of people. Stigma and discrimination can make people less likely to go for HIV testing, disclose their status, adopt preventative behaviour or get treatment and care and support. Unequal relationships between women and men and gender based violence mean that in sub-saharan Africa, young women are as much as eight times more likely than men to be living with HIV. Women can face barriers in accessing HIV prevention, treatment and care services due to limited decision making power, lack of control over financial resources, restricted mobility and child care responsibilities. The epidemic continues to have a disproportionate effect on marginalised and stigmatised groups such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs. In many countries, HIV prevention and treatment programmes are largely failing to reach these key populations. While national HIV responses are not always tailored to these groups, this could not only protect members of these communities but could also help to avoid a wider HIV epidemic

33 Comic Relief will focus on regions with the highest HIV prevalence within countries that are most affected, targeting groups that are especially vulnerable and marginalised. We will support community based responses to HIV with an increased emphasis on making sure that people with HIV and their families get the services they need and play their vital role in taking control of the epidemic. Attention is often given to the role that women can play in the response to HIV, while not considering the role that men can play. We will support approaches for greater involvement of men in community responses, increasing their uptake of services and involving them in strategies to change practices and behaviour rooted in unequal gender relationships....people AFFECTED BY HIV

34 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. Experience suggests that the lives of people affected by HIV are most likely to change in a sustainable way by: Recognising the interdependence of HIV and poverty so HIV responses include a commitment to strengthen the livelihoods of people affected by HIV Valuing people with HIV and their families, as they are best placed to understand what services they need and what changes are required to transform their lives and those of their families Tackling stigma and discrimination as this represents a significant barrier to people accessing services, as well as a major factor in people s quality of life Recognising that a number of wider societal factors influence the spread of HIV, including gender inequality and gender based violence Building the capacity of organisations of people with HIV, enabling them to participate more meaningfully in a long-term response to HIV Investing in organisations that help strengthen national policies that improve the context for HIV work 32...

35 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most important to achieving our goal: Better access to good quality HIV services Increased and more secure incomes A reduction in risky sexual practices A reduction in stigma and discrimination Organisations and their leaders are more effective in delivering on their mission and strategic goals Laws and policies upholding and protecting the rights of citizens are enacted and implemented Comic Relief has limited resources and will focus funding in relation to this goal in the following ways: GEOGRAPHY All funding will be in sub-saharan countries with an HIV prevalence of 5% or more More than half of the funding will be in regions within countries with an HIV prevalence of 15% or more TARGET Some funding will address the needs of key populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people injecting drugs as the primary target groups APPROACH Some funding will support applications that seek to improve the responsiveness and/or uptake of services by men A small proportion of funding will support Sport for Change as an approach within HIV projects ORGANISATION TYPE Some funding will be for African partner organisations that are led by people living with HIV...PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV

36 WHY FOCUS ON TRADE, ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT? Many sub-saharan African countries have achieved economic growth of 5% or higher per annum over recent years. This trend is expected to continue. Despite this there is still widespread poverty throughout Africa and huge disparities in income. Almost half of people in sub-saharan Africa live on less than $1.25 a day. There is a growing call to ensure economic growth benefits poor people and does not increase levels of inequality. Poor people face many social, economic and environmental challenges when attempting to increase their incomes through trade, enterprise and employment. These include low levels of education, limited access to business information and technology, and unequal access to key services. Therefore the key priority for this goal is to improve poor people s access to information, markets, finance, and technical assistance. In order to achieve this, we will support not for profit and for profit organisations that provide enterprise development services and vocational skills training to people from poor communities who are running their own enterprises or working as employees. We will prioritise support for women and young people engaged in trade and enterprise or seeking employment. These groups are often responsible for carrying out a significant proportion of productive activities but, due to a variety of reasons, lack access to gainful employment, finance, training, market information and to productive assets such as land

37 Comic Relief aims to improve opportunities for poor people to increase their incomes through improved trading relations, running their own small and medium sized enterprises, and getting decent jobs. In addition to providing funds for training for individuals, we will also consider supporting the development of enterprises in Africa that have a focus on trading with or employing people from poor communities. Finally, we will support initiatives that improve the lives of poor people in trade, enterprise and employment through influencing government and private sector policies....trade, ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT

38 WHAT WE VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW CHANGE OCCURS This strategy draws on learning from our grant making as well as the experience of others. Experience suggests that the improvements in trade, enterprise, and employment for poor people are most likely to change in a sustainable way by: Working at household, community and organisation levels, throughout supply chains and at the policy level in order to encourage long-term change Building financially viable enterprises that are committed to ensuring that poor people are included in economic growth as both suppliers and employees Providing appropriate finance for enterprises at different stages of their development and avoiding subsidising inefficient enterprises. This means ensuring enterprises are able to access loans as well as grants Supporting agricultural initiatives that are conscious of environmental risks and shocks caused by climate change, and taking action to ensure that farmers are able to adapt to a changing environment Investing in enterprises operating in the informal sector to allow them to graduate to the formal sector where feasible 36...

39 WHAT WE WILL FUND The following outcomes are those we believe are most significant in achieving our goal: Increased and more secure incomes More secure tenure and management of land, housing and other assets Better working conditions and pay Improved access to good quality basic education and increased retention and attainment Greater equality of opportunity between women and men, and girls and boys Greater resilience to environmental risks and shocks Comic Relief has limited resources and will focus funding in relation to this goal in the following ways: GEOGRAPHY All funding under this goal will be in sub-saharan Africa TARGET All our funding will target poor people running their own enterprises and/or employees from poor communities About half of the people to benefit will be running their own enterprises, the remainder will be employees of enterprises At least half of funding will directly target women as employees and enterprise owners A small proportion of funding will directly target young people (under the age of 25) APPROACH All funding will be channelled through our social investment funding approach Some funding will seek to establish and grow new enterprises The majority of our funding will be for building the capacity of people who are running their own enterprises and/or working as employees A small proportion of our funding will provide loan finance to organisations who are supporting enterprises that seek to benefit our target groups...trade, ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT

40 MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN GRANT MAKING PRINCIPLES Our grant making principles represent our understanding of how to create social change, and we apply them to our grant making and grant management, and ourselves

41 UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT AND GOOD PRACTICE There is an understanding of the context in which work is taking place, the root causes of the issues being addressed, and known areas of good practice CONSULTING AND ENGAGING OTHERS People who will benefit from the work, as well as those who could influence its success or failure, are meaningfully consulted at the outset and actively participate during delivery and review UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND APPLYING LESSONS LEARNED Information about what and how change occurs is captured, measured and analysed, then applied to inform future work, influence policy and practice, and shared with others BEING RESPONSIVE There is a desire and ability to adapt and change approaches in response to changing contexts, new ideas, or new learning being applied BUILDING EFFECTIVE ORGANISATIONS AND THEIR LEADERSHIP Capable social change organisations and movements and their leadership are supported to invest in their creativity, effectiveness and accountability VALUING DIVERSITY People from all sectors of the community are included and represented in the work and in the organisations doing the work, and equality of opportunity is realised USING RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY There is an appropriate use of human and financial resources to achieve the intended goal MAKING LASTING CHANGE There are plans to achieve lasting change that will avoid duplication, reflect wider national and regional priorities, and may include empowering citizens to hold decision makers to account...grant MAKING PRINCIPLES

42 OUR FUNDING APPROACHES We continue to make grants to mostly civil society organisations to bring about social change. These include non-governmental organisations, other grant making bodies, research institutes, trade unions, and diaspora organisations. We aim to allocate a proportion of our funds to social investments. We define these as the provision and use of capital to generate social as well as financial returns. We will invest primarily in small and medium sized enterprises. We will provide grants and loans, and sometimes both. Our intention is that all social investments have a clear strategy for sustaining an enterprise beyond Comic Relief s funding. We will routinely make grants through these three funding approaches: generating ideas, implementing and adapting, and achieving scale. Organisations can receive funding from Comic Relief for any one of these three approaches, depending on their track record. Organisations just starting out or developing a new approach are more likely to receive generating ideas grants. Only those with a very strong track record might be considered for achieving scale funding if they have not received funding from Comic Relief in the past....

43 GENERATING IDEAS Generating ideas is about planning, consultation, putting together ideas, maybe even testing something out on a pilot basis. These grants are designed to help organisations that have limited resources of their own to undertake this kind of work. IMPLEMENTING AND ADAPTING Implementing and adapting is about testing out new approaches or adapting existing approaches. This could include proven approaches being applied in new contexts, or implementing entirely new approaches. Or it may be about work that has been adapted to changing contexts or applying what has been learned from a previous phase of work. ACHIEVING SCALE Achieving scale is about taking an approach to scale where significant numbers of people will benefit and where the type of change is likely to be systemic. Systemic change is the type of change where organisations take a systems thinking approach and work with all the different actors in the system and seek to change the whole system rather than just a single component of it. These grants are for selected partners only. Applicants can also ask for funding to enable them and their partners to improve their organisational performance so they can undertake their activities to the best of their ability. Some of the most common areas for improving performance are in management and governance, financial systems and monitoring, evaluation and learning. In addition, social enterprises often need support to improve their market analysis, business planning and ability to measure social benefit. We would expect any request for funding to be accompanied by a sound analysis of an organisation s strengths and weaknesses. In some instances Comic Relief will provide core funding to an organisation as a whole. Organisations will have a strong track record, with reliable and valid evidence of achievement. They will need a compelling strategy for future work. These grants are for selected partners only....funding APPROACHES

44 42...

45 SPORT FOR CHANGE Sport continues to play an important role in improving the lives of millions of people across the world. In schools, communities and clubs, it brings people together to play, learn, improve health and benefit from shared experiences. Sport permeates many people s lives across the world as participants, competitors, employees or fans. It is also, under the right circumstances, a powerful tool for helping bring about social change. Comic Relief s Sport for Change strategy runs across our UK and International funding, draws on considerable experience from both and will deliver change internationally for people affected by HIV, for children and young people at risk or those who lack access to good quality education. WHAT WE MEAN BY SPORT FOR CHANGE Sport for Change is an approach that, when used in the following ways, has the potential to bring about positive change in the lives of individuals and communities: Sports activities as a hook to engage hard to reach groups, where support such as education is added through other activities Sports activities are adapted and other elements are integrated, for educational or life skills messages Where the business behind sport is used for financial, employment and entrepreneurship training Where activities based on people s personal experiences and passion for sport are used to raise awareness and bring people together to overcome isolation, foster shared reminiscence and improve social cohesion...sport FOR CHANGE

46 44...

47 SPORT FOR CHANGE Our experience of funding hundreds of Sport for Change projects and organisations across the world has taught us many things. The choice of sports and the manner in which it is delivered, and who by, will have a major influence on the experience of participants, the nature of the interpersonal relationships and the potential for positive change. It is likely to have most impact in: Supporting young people during key life transitions, such as into and through education, and into employment Reducing the risk of vulnerable people entering harmful situations, providing greater safety from violence and abuse, and increasing community cohesion Developing young leaders and nurturing greater participation and voice in local decision making Encouraging equality of opportunity between girls and boys, women and men, and for people from marginalised groups. Beyond participation, sports can also help change attitudes, reduce stigma and discrimination, and support access to services Most of our Sport for Change funding will be in sub-saharan Africa, although we will work with a limited number of selected partners in specific locations in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean....SPORT FOR CHANGE

48 46...

49 UNDERSTANDING CHANGE Every pound we spend through our grants and social investments needs to work hard to tackle poverty and social injustice. We have a responsibility to make sure that Comic Relief cash makes a real difference in people s lives and that we share the changes and challenges with the people who help us raise it: government, companies and most importantly, members of the British public at work, at school or at home. We support organisations we partner and work with in a variety of ways. We provide funding to our grantees to improve their skills and systems, meaning they can collect reliable and valid information to understand what difference they are making, and how they are achieving change. We invest in robust evaluations to assess the change their work has contributed to. And we expect them to learn from their practice and share this learning to influence the policies and practices of others. We re also committed to learning from our own experience, and in certain areas help to generate evidence where gaps exist. We will provide support so that existing knowledge can be drawn together where it is disparate, and new learning can be generated and shared. We will actively collaborate with others who share our interests to add value wherever we can. Working with others who share our interests and who can help create more change for more people is vital to achieve our vision of a just world free from poverty....understanding CHANGE