Deadline: 26 November 2019

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has announced a Call for Proposals for 2020 International Community Access to Child Health (ICATCH) Grant.

ICATCH grants are designed for pediatricians and other health workers in low- and lower-middle income countries who need financial and advisory support to plan and implement a project or program that provides clinical care to children or adolescents, provides health education for children, or provides training for health care providers. Please note: ICATCH does not fund research projects.

An important requirement is that projects establish or continue collaboration with one or more community partners such as hospitals or clinics, nongovernmental organizations, local governments agencies, schools, faith-based groups or local businesses. Such collaborative partnerships help insure sustainability of the project beyond the 3-year grant period, which is encouraged and expected.

Prior to developing an ICATCH proposal, applicants should ensure that the proposal is needed, and that it will be supported by the community.

Funding Information

• 3-Year grants for programs improving child health in low- and lower-middle income countries ($2000 per year for 3 years, total $6000).
• 2020-2023 Grant Cycle (Funding period July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2023).

Focus Areas

For this grant cycle, ICATCH will only accept applications from those whose work is in one of the following areas:

• Physical or Developmental Disabilities in Children
  • Includes developmental delay, early childhood development, or physical disabilities which are congenital or acquired (e.g. blindness, deafness, cerebral palsy, impairment following conditions such as cerebral malaria or head trauma or seizure disorder, etc.)
  • Note: ICATCH will not fund proposals that only carry out screening for disabilities; projects that include screening must also include treatment or therapy for the disability).
• Childhood or Adolescent Mental Health (preschool to age 21 years)
• Male Adolescent Health (boys up to age 21 years)
• Newborn Health (projects must focus on the newborn period; can follow-up infants up to 6 months of age)
  • NOTE: ICATCH is not funding projects targeting only pregnant women, or infants older than 6 months of age.

Criteria

• ICATCH will accept only one Preliminary Application per NGO (nongovernmental organization) or community group. They can accept more than one application from academic institutions and hospitals if the projects are different and are submitted by different persons.
  • Projects must be carried out in a low- or low-middle income country (see the list below)
  • ICATCH funding cannot be used for research projects. However, QI (quality improvement) projects can be an appropriate use of ICATCH funds.
  • A Project Director and a Project Co-Director must be listed on the proposal. The Project Director must live and work in or near the community where the services/training will be offered. The Project Co-Director may live elsewhere or in another country, provided he/she will be actively involved in the project for all 3 years of funding.
    • NOTE: Project leaders should ensure that the others involved in carrying out project activities
      • are part of the initial planning and application process,
      • support the program, and
      • feel that this work is needed in their community.
    • For example, if you will be working with community health workers, or teachers, or nurses you should confirm their interest and ability to participate NOW, and seek their input in this early planning stage. Such partners must agree to participate BEFORE the Preliminary Application is submitted. Consider enlisting one such individual as a Co-Director for the proposal if appropriate.
  • A portion of the ICATCH grant can be used for project-related planning (maximum planning period is the first 6 months); however, project service or training activities must begin after the first 6 months (i.e. by end of December 2020).
  • The Preliminary Application will ask for a brief but detailed budget. Note that ICATCH funds cannot be used for salary or honoraria for the Director or Co-Director, or for international travel.
• Preliminary Applications are accepted from pediatricians as well as from other medical doctors, surgeons, nurses, midwives, health workers, social workers, dentists, physical therapists or anyone who provides health care or health education for children and youth such as teachers or community health workers.

Eligible Countries:

• Low-Income Countries: Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Dem. Rep, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, The, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Korea, Dem. People’s Rep., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Rep.
• Lower-Middle-Income Countries: Angola, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Rep., Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Arab Rep., El Salvador, Eswatini, Ghana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Mauritania, Micronesia, Federated States, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

For more information, visit https://services.aap.org/en/community/aap-sections/international-child-health/icatch/icatch-grants/