Country Innovation Day - HIV/AIDS: Turning Ideas Into Action

The Development Marketplace ?– a global competition held annually in Washington, DC for innovative ideas ?– aims at advancing the fight against poverty. The competition is open to NGOs, businesses, academia, foundations and government. The World Bank and its development partners award start-up funds to projects that bring people and institutions together and have the best promise of moving from concept to concrete results.

What is the Country Innovation Day? The World Bank is organizing a competition for project proposals from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. The purpose of the initiative is to support innovative projects proposed by various organizations in the five countries within the framework of the Development Marketplace. The Country Innovation Day is a chance for organizations to present their new and creative ideas. The main components are:

• Innovation Competition ?– an opportunity for selected proposals to compete for funding of the innovation projects.
• Knowledge Exchange - a meeting place for representatives from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland to share views, best practices, creative solutions and case studies.


Topics:

Theme: HIV/AIDS: "Turning Ideas into Action".

Competition categories:


• Promoting income generation for HIV positive people, especially in rural areas.
• Stepping up awareness for prevention, especially among young people.
• Reaching vulnerable people, including children, people with disabilities and orphans.
• Ways to de-stigmatize the disease.
• HIV/AIDS workplace programs and private sector community programs.
• 
  
  Awards:
  
  Grants totaling $200,000 will be awarded by the World Bank. In addition, USAID has contributed $150,000 to the awards. The International Finance Corporation will award a $20,000 grant to the best private sector proposal on HIV/AIDS that support its "IFC Against AIDS" strategy.
  
  Timeline:
  
  (Round 1) Proposal Outline: To compete in the Innovation Competition organizations must meet eligibility criteria indicated below and submit a two-page Proposal Outline through e-mail attachment OR post by February 20th, 2004 to: [email protected] or to: The World Bank, 1250 Pretorius Street, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa OR P.O. Box 12629, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa.
  
  (Round 2) Complete Project Proposal: Once Proposal Outlines are reviewed by an independent panel, selected organizations will be invited to submit complete project proposals by April 16th, 2004 to the above addresses. All complete proposals will be evaluated by an assessment panel.
  
  (Round 3) The Country Innovation Day: Finalists will be invited to participate in the Country Innovation Day and in the Knowledge Exchange in Johannesburg in June 2004. Their projects will be featured and presented during the Country Innovation Day. An independent jury will interview all finalists and select the award-winners. Award size: The maximum size of an Innovation Competition award is $20,000. Preference will be given to the cost effective proposals.
  
  Eligibility Criteria: Proposals will be reviewed to ensure that they conform with the criteria below:
  
  
• Recognized NGOs and CBOs, academia as well as the public and private sector, are welcome to submit proposals.
• Twelve month maximum implementation time frame.
• We encourage project proposals that can be implemented in partnership with another organization, however this is not mandatory.
• Demonstrated project- administration ability of an applicant /organization.
• Proposals must be submitted in English.


Evaluation Criteria:The decision on initial assessment and selection of finalists and awarding funds will be done according to five main criteria:


• Does the idea address the issue?
• Is the idea innovative?
• Is the budget realistic and well-balanced?
• Is the project proposal sustainable and implementable within the timeframe?
• Will the project have acceptance in the target communities.


How to Apply:


• Interested parties are invited to submit a two-page Proposal Outline to the addresses indicated above by February 20th, 2004. These outlines, not to exceed 2 pages, will be reviewed by a panel of experts. Selected organizations will be invited to submit a complete project proposal. The form for the two-page proposal is attached here, or you can access it on the World Bank South African country office website at: http://www.worldbank.org/afr/za.
• Complete Project Proposals should describe in detail the objectives, target groups, deliverables, implementation plan and budget breakdown. A form will be provided. The deadline for submission of the Complete Project Proposal is April 16th, 2004. Proposals will be assessed by a panel composed of independent experts, WB staff, other donors, NGO representatives, etc. Finalists will then be invited to participate in the Innovation Competition in Johannesburg. Each finalist team will be allowed to send one representative who will be financed by the World Bank. Any other participants will have to pay their own expenses. Please do not submit any additional material with the Proposal Outline. Additional material cannot be reviewed at this stage. Please do not submit a complete project proposal unless or until invited to do so by the Innovation Competition.


For more information on the Development Marketplace and Country Innovation Day please visit the World Bank South African country office website on: http://www.worldbank.org/afr/za.