About the Organization
The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. We provide a wide array of financial products and technical assistance, and we help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face.
About the Grant
The Pandemic Fund intends to issue its pilot first Call for Proposals on March 3, 2023. The envelope of funding for the First Call for Proposals is estimated to be around US$ 300 million. Expressions of Interest (EOI) are now being sought for potential projects to be funded under this first Call for Proposals1 . The purpose of the EOI is to enable the Pandemic Fund to coordinate amongst partners and facilitate countries and entities seeking support from the Pandemic Fund. The EOI will also provide an early sense of demand for the first Call for Proposals; provide an opportunity to meet with interested parties and answer questions; allow the Secretariat to understand the needs of applicants; and connect interested parties.
Objective of the Pandemic Fund: The Pandemic Fund provides grant financing for projects that seek to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) functions, through investments and technical support. The Pandemic Fund is expected to support and reinforce capacity building and implementation of pandemic PPR under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) and other internationally endorsed legal frameworks, consistent with a One Health approach.
Key principles: Grants from the Pandemic Fund seek to complement investments from other external and domestic sources, incentivize countries to invest more in pandemic PPR, catalyze financing from multiple sources in support of projects, and promote a more coordinated and coherent approach to investments in pandemic PPR. Projects supported by grants from the Pandemic Fund may include several components/activities, some of which may be financed from other sources, to complement grant support from the Pandemic Fund. Projects must be co-owned and co-created by all partners through inclusive, multi-stakeholder processes that engage communities and civil society and focus on equity, transparency and good governance.
Priorities: The first Call for Proposals will prioritize high-impact investments in: i) comprehensive disease surveillance and early warning; ii) laboratory systems; and iii) human resources and public health and community workforce capacity, in line with relevant JEE targets, National Action Plans for Health Security, One Health and related national and regional health and community systems strengthening plans, as applicable, as well as with the Pandemic Fund’s Results Framework, which will be made available online. Financing is intended for projects that will help strengthen core capacities in one or more of these three priority areas, which present the promise of generating a visible impact in terms of prevention and preparedness to effectively detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
Results: Improvements in capacity and implementation of pandemic PPR will be measured utilizing assessments, where available, such as the Joint External Evaluation (JEE), State Parties’ Annual Report (SPAR), and Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) coupled with after/intra-action reviews and possibly simulation exercises utilizing the 7-1-7 approach2 .
Eligibility
All countries that are eligible to receive financing from International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) are eligible to apply for project funding from the Pandemic Fund (Eligible Countries). Regional Entities that are specialized technical institutions established by the governments of one or more Eligible Country (-ies) to support their public health initiatives and strengthen pandemic PPR capacity, are also eligible to apply for project Funding from the Pandemic Fund. Projects can be for a single Eligible Country, a group of Eligible Countries, or a Regional Entity (as defined above). Accordingly, EOIs for each of these types of projects will be accepted.
Flow of Funds and Project Implementation: The Pandemic Fund will channel its financing through Implementing Entities that will support project implementation. Each proposal must identify at least one Implementing Entity from among the thirteen (13) currently approved Implementing Entities, as listed in the Operations Manual and Governance Framework: Asian Development Bank; Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; European Investment Bank; Inter-American Development Bank; International Finance Corporation; World Bank; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; UNICEF; World Health Organization; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
How to Apply
EOIs may be submitted by an Eligible Country (-ies), Regional Entity (-ies), or Implementing Entity (- ies) by filling out the attached form.
Completed EOI forms should be submitted by email to the Secretariat at the following email address, pandemicfundcfp@worldbank.org by February 24, 2023 at 23:59 ET. Those who submit an EOI will be contacted by the Pandemic Fund Secretariat prior to the launch of the Call for Proposals.
The Secretariat will host Information Sessions for interested applicants to learn more about the EOI and ask questions on the following days and times. If there is significant demand, additional sessions may be organized: February 14, 2023 @ 8-9am DC time –
Pleaseregisterhere: https://worldbankgroup.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEtcOCpqTMrGtLPUF77TGBX3iQ6g v2OhCR7
For more information please check the Link
