Foundation Funding for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

This research brief from the Foundation Center is an important tool for all of us looking to increase the amount and effectiveness of funding for the global WASH sector.

Here is the brief:

http://water.issuelab.org/research/listing/foundation_funding_for_water_sanitation_and_hygiene 

And some of its key findings:

• The total number of foundations awarding WASH grants jumped from 24 in 2003 to 78 in 2010.
• U.S. foundation funding for WASH comprises less than 2% of U.S. foundation giving for international causes. 
• From 2009 to 2010, 30% of all grant dollars went to Africa, the largest share of any geographic region, while 18% went to Asia and 9% went to Central/South America.
• The largest proportion of foundation grant dollars support water sector policy and administration (20%), followed by basic drinking water supply (17%), WASH research (14%), and basic sanitation (14%).

Grants for Water and Sanitation / Development Grants Program / USAID

Very very interesting grant opportunity:

USAID has announced its latest Development Grants Program (DGP) grants opportunity for water, sanitation, and other important developments objectives. This program is designed for nonprofits (US, international, local) who have limited experience working with USAID to this point. Please consider applying for water and sanitation funding.

Go to http://www.grants.gov/ and search for DGP, or click here:

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=XVfGNQcdz1LQN1C54sTh6JxtdTThnyyq6Bh4rTtTsJXLns4h4Wt8!-2077849862?oppId=78733&mode=VIEW

Note:

The DGP is closely aligned with Agency Initiatives addressing today’s pressing problems of hunger and food security, health impacts of insufficient water resources, and challenges that accompany global climate change, local capacity development, and women and peace-building as well as post-conflict resolution. This RFA encourages applicants to propose effective, innovative approaches that contribute to the achievement of development objectives in the sectors specified for this third cycle of DGP funding. Funds for the DGP are available for activities in the following three sectors: water (especially water and sanitation), microenterprise and climate change adaptation.

AND

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) established the Development Grants Program (DGP) under the Office of Development Partners, Private and Voluntary Cooperation Division (ODP/PVC), as a small grants program which would increase the number and quality of NGO (both local and U.S.-based) implementing partners who can meet the needs of the communities they serve and contribute to the accomplishment of the Agency’s goals and objectives.

__

The purpose of the DGP is to create new partnerships between USAID and NGOs that have had limited or no prior funding from and experience working directly with USAID. A key goal of the DGP is to expand USAID’s NGO network of development partners and provide capacity building support to the new partners. In doing so, USAID will enable a wider range of partners to better meet their constituents’ needs and contribute to development outcomes. Increased U.S.PVO and LNGO capacity will expand the number of organizations that make enduring contributions to the evolving needs of those they serve. The objectives of the DGP as presented in this Request for Applications are: 1. Broadened participation in USAID programs of LNGOs and U.S. PVOs with experience and expertise relevant to priority USAID and partner country development objectives; 2. Expanded numbers of LNGOs and U.S. PVOs with planning, management and service delivery systems adequate to implement USAID-funded activities; and 3. Measurable contributions by LNGOs and U.S. PVOs to the achievement of the development objectives for participating USAID Missions’ country programs, in particular as they pertain to Agency priorities and initiatives.

Global Handwashing Day 2010

Zoinks! Each year Global Handwashing Day gets bigger and better.  From our friend Dan Campbell at USAID, here are the big ticket items for tomorrow, October 15. WASH your HANDS people! I don't care if you're trying to prevent diarrheal disease or avian influenza. Handwashing is medicine!


{{Since I posted this, I heard from ProjectWET.org - they have a great handwashing poster for free download here:  http://store.projectwet.org/index.php/maps-posters/wash-your-hands-poster.html}}


2 key websites are:

• Global Handwashing Day 2010 - http://www.globalhandwashingday.org/

• Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap - http://www.globalhandwashing.org/

Handwashing in the News

- USAID - Millions Soap Up to Commemorate Global Handwashing Day
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/eh/news/ghwd10.html

- U.S State Dept - Raising Clean Hands: How WASH Is Essential for Achieving Universal Education, a presentation by Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs http://www.state.gov/g/149358.htm  

- UNICEF - Making clean hands a priority for more than just a day, Global Handwashing Day
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_56528.html
- Save the Children Asks: Do You Know Your Dirty Words? - http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/10/prweb4633754.htm, ‎Oct 11, 2010‎, The videos also mark Global Handwashing Day on October 15. The installation of toilets, hand-washing stations, hand pumps and de-worming campaigns are part ...

- BBC News - UK: Dirty toilets and thugs stop children washing hands - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11540274

- Lifebuoy to target 100000 children to support 3rd annual Global Handwashing - http://www.ameinfo.com/245201.html The 3rd annual Global Handwashing Day (GHWD) will be celebrated across the Gulf on October 15th 2010. The initiative, backed by the Global Public-Private ...

- Ghana: Global Handwashing Day http://gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.149009, ‎Oct 11, 2010‎, In Ghana, the third National Handwashing Day will be held at the Volta Regional Capital, Ho. In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly set aside the day ...

- Soap Project, MedShare Form Partnership http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/24279/, Oct 12, 2010, Two Atlanta-based nonprofits, the Global Soap Project and MedShare, have formed a partnership to distribute recycled soap from US hotel rooms to countries ...

- Afghanistan: No soap at school http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=90759

- India: Health in your hands http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/health-in-your-hands/214762.html, ‎Oct 12, 2010, The focus of this year's Global Handwashing Day is cleanliness at schools. Playgrounds, classrooms, community centres, and public spaces will be awash with ...

- Philippines - Global handwashing day on October 15 promotes lathering up to beat diseases
http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p101013.htm&no=08, ‎Oct 12, 2010‎, The purpose of Global handwashing day is to raise awareness and promote hand washing to school children's and parents. Each year, diarrheal diseases and ...

- Kenya - Wash your hands well before touching cutlery
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Wash%20your%20hands%20well%20before%20touching%20cutlery/-/539444/1031332/-/jakx5xz/-/, ‎Oct 12, 2010‎, As the world prepares to mark the Global Handwashing Day, public health experts are raising ...

- Guinness World Records® Attempt for Most People Sanitizing Hands a Success http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/08/2290153/guinness-world-records-attempt.html, ‎Oct 8, 2010, The world record was carried out in celebration of the upcoming Global Handwashing Day, an annual event that coincides with flu season. ...

Water for the Poor Act 2010 Report to Congress

OK - everybody exhale now - (in particular the hardworking team at US State Department): the highly anticipated Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act 2010 Report to Congress has been released.  

With no further ado, here it is. 

Blogging on Water will review and offer unsolicited commentary shortly. In the interim, for you jetsetters reading this on your BBs in your private aircraft, the summary of the report: 

Report at a Glance


The United States invested* about $774 million in FY 2009 for all water sector- and sanitation-related activities in developing countries.†

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) invested over $513.7 million to improve access to sustainable water supply, sanitation, and hygiene in at least 57 countries. About 32 percent of this went to activities in sub-Saharan Africa.‡

In FY 2009, some 5.7 million people gained improved access to safe drinking water and 1.3 million gained improved access to sanitation as a result of USAID investments.§

Water and Sanitation Program / Handwashing Help

From a friend at the Water and Sanitation Program in Washington DC:

I am currently working on WSP's scaling up of hand-washing-with-soap project. As part of this effort, we are compiling a list of "enabling technologies" that facilitate handwashing-with-soap.

Of course, tippy taps are the most common and well known but other technologies like soap dishes, soap nets, handwashing stations, cue cards, etc. also fit into this broad category of "enabling technologies." We suspect a large part of this research effort will involve documenting a wide range of tippy tap options. BUT we do not want to get stuck on tippy taps, and we hope to discover outside-the-box ideas and devices that people have seen in the field.

Do you have any experiences or have you seen anything that fits into this effort? If you have a photo, description, write-up, anything, that will be extremely helpful.Also, if you know of other folks that have experiences to share, please pass along my inquiry.

If you are aware of ideas, handwashing approaches/technologies that they need to be aware of, please reach out directly to Ian Moise at the Water and Sanitation Program:

Ian Moise
WSP - Scaling Up Programs
Hand Washing and Sanitation

imoise (at) worldbank.org

Water Advocates is hiring - Water, Schools and Health

Director of Global Water, Health and Schools

Water Advocates (www.wateradvocates.org) is a small but influential nonprofit advocacy group in Washington DC (DuPont Circle area) dedicated to helping solve the global safe drinking water and sanitation challenge. Water Advocates neither implements programs overseas nor seeks funding for itself, but works to raise awareness of and funding for the global water and sanitation sector as a whole.

The Director of Global Water, Health and Schools is responsible for planning and implementing Water Advocates’ outreach and advocacy program focused on a) water, sanitation, and global public health and b) the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools Initiative. He/she will play a leading role in the growth of Water Advocates’ ambitious outreach program and will serve as one of the main advocates and representatives of Water Advocates and its allies.

Responsibilities

The Director’s main role will be to support the overall mission of Water Advocates to significantly increase awareness of and financial support for the global safe drinking water and sanitation sector from private and public US-based supporters. He/she will maintain and grow the existing WASH in Schools Initiative, and identify and pursue new funding opportunities, special initiatives, communications efforts, and other projects concerning the linkages between water, sanitation and global public health.

Qualifications

Knowledge of and experience with the global safe drinking water and sanitation sector and linkages to other international human development challenges; experienced in working with global health and education
· Networking expertise, preferably with strong existing relationships in the community of potential funders; ability to broker partnerships, including across development sectors
· Excellent research skills, and the ability to deliver compelling arguments to new and existing funders (strong written and oral communication)
MPH or related degree preferred
· Able to travel occasionally (domestic)
· Able to work independently and creatively

Desired Skills
Commitment to values, mission and vision of Water Advocates; engagement in global health and/or development issues, preferably with a focus on safe drinking water and sanitation, health and education challenges
Strong background in outreach/advocacy/program management; record of proactive efforts to build new relationships with potential supporters/funders and expanding/strengthening existing relationships
Experience with basic fund-raising and communications techniques
Ability to develop, plan and implement specific short- and long-term outreach goals
Demonstrated public speaking skills, and experience in planning and facilitating meetings
Ability and desire to work in a small organization with a consensus-oriented environment with different work styles
Ability to use modern/leading edge communications tools and software applications, and excellent written communication skills
High-energy, love of challenge, and ability to be effective in a constantly changing environment

Writing samples will be required.

This position is located in Washington, DC. This is a full-time exempt position, lasting from date of hire through December 31, 2010. Salary range is commensurate with experience. Some domestic travel may be required. Water Advocates is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer that is committed to diversity in the workplace.

Please send résumé and cover letter to joldfield@wateradvocates.org.

The Time of Cholera

By now we have all read of the cholera situation in Zimbabwe (or should have). It sucks - and has been caused by any number of mostly if not entirely preventable factors far beyond simply the gnarly water and sanitation situation there.

Although it is difficult to step back and look at the cholera outbreak more broadly right now, let me add a couple of thoughts:

- this crisis highlights the need for a holistic approach to water for people: safe drinking water supplies, sanitation facilities and hygiene (handwashing) interventions are all required. Cholera is not spread simply by water, but by water contaminated by human feces which has not been adequately treated, and by dirty fingers, food, etc.

- this cholera outbreak also highlights the need for tight language in appropriations for the Water for the Poor Act, the Water for the Poor Enhancement Act, and other related legislation, e.g. on child survival. That language needs to focus on people and poor. Period.

- safe drinking water and good sanitation facilities are both the prevention of and the cure for cholera. It is much more efficient to prevent cholera and other diarrheal diseases than to treat them. Ask Peru about the economic/financial costs of prevention vs. cure when a cholera outbreak cost their economy $1b+ a few years ago.

- cholera is now a regional health and economic issue, and could become a regional (southern Africa) security issue quite easily with the xenophobia prevalent in the region.

- Zim is not alone. Cholera outbreaks are occurring or have recently occurred in Kenya, Peru, the Philippines, Malawi, Zambia, DR Congo, Angola, Nigeria, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, South Africa and others.

So: try to keep as many Zimbabweans alive in the short term, keep cholera from spreading beyond its current borders in the medium term, and let's do what we can to prevent it from happening again by addressing water, sanitation and hygiene in the long term.

Global Handwashing Day

Wash Your Hands

Mom's sage advice, and the way out of poverty.

Unsafe water, then inadequate sanitation, then dirty little hands, then feces goes from food and fingers into mouths, and diarrheal disease is transmitted. Kids are sick, stay out and drop out of school, don't learn, don't earn, and the cycle of poverty continues.

So...

Happy Global Handwashing Day!

Data point: the Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal reported that 42-47 percent of all diarrheal transmission could be stopped by handwashing with soap (Curtis, Val, & Sandy Cairncross. (2003, May). "Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhoea risk in the community: A systematic review." Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal 3(5), 275-81.)

A couple of examples of the good work being done to alleviate poverty through simple handwashing campaigns:

Madagascar

In Madagascar 19,300 primary schools will participate in a week-long event. Handwashing with soap activities involving schools and the community, culminate on October 15th with 3.5 million children washing hands with soap at noon. President Ravalomanana will lead the Day. Three Ministries have issued a joint statement to the Prime Minister to officialize Global Handwashing Day. A parade of schoolchildren through the capital is planned for October 15th.

Panama

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health are supporting an event on October 15th in an elementary school close to Panama City. Children will wash their hands together with high representatives from both Ministries.