Water for the World Act Passes! Next stop, White House.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PRESS CONTACT: WASH Advocates Cecilia Snyder, 202-293-4003 csnyder@WASHadvocates.org  Congress Passes Water for the World Act with Strong Bipartisan Support Legislation is Key to Solving the Global Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Crisis Washington, DC (December 15, 2014) - In an extraordinary bipartisan effort, the U.S. Senate tonight approved the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014 by unanimous consent.The bill was sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bob Corker (R-TN), cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and led by U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Ted Poe (R-TX)in the House of Representatives.    The Water for the World Act will build upon the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005, which established access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a priority of America's foreign policy. Today's vote reaffirms the legacy of Senator Simon's lifelong dedication to global safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and its importance as a fundamental building block to alleviate poverty and improve health. Patti Simon, wife of the late Senator, celebrated: "It's been almost a decade since the passage of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005, and this year's bill is an important step toward increasing the impact of that original legislation. Paul would be proud of the momentum we're seeing to get safe, sustainable drinking water and sanitation to more and more people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America." The Water for the World Act is a cost-free approach with enormous positive impacts on health, food security and nutrition, environmental quality, girls' and women's empowerment, and economic development across the globe. It calls for an increase in monitoring and evaluation of projects, particularly after the implementation phase, and ensuring that programming is targeted to help the world's poorest. "This phenomenal bipartisan effort shows that water issues, particularly safe drinking water and sanitation, resonate with Americans, and they understand how they can tangibly help solve this problem," noted John Oldfield, CEO of WASH Advocates. "Our Representatives and Senators are following the impressive lead of their constituents around the country - church groups, Rotary Clubs, elementary schools, universities, and nonprofits - who are working to help solve this global crisis once and for all." The Water for the Poor Act has made a tangible difference in the world. Every year, U.S. WASH programs bring better WASH access to millions of people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In FY11 and FY12, USAID provided almost 7 million people with improved access to drinking water supply, and almost 3 million with improved access to sanitation.

Funding for Water and Sanitation / USAID / Development Grants Program

Dear nonprofit partners,

We would like to make you aware of a funding opportunity offered through USAID - the Development Grants Program (DGP):

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=kQ2pRgRDQDTnQgTvt58Y7Z4MfHKvkqKzPWQf9LwDH2wTpJ10fJcH!-337921640?oppId=237329&mode=VIEW

DEADLINE: August 8, 2013

(Awards up to $2million for US and Non US-based nonprofits.)

Background

USAID has established the Development Grants Program as a small grants program to increase the number and quality of NGO implementing partners who can partner with USAID. This Program is open both to U.S.-based nonprofits and those based around the world. A total of $45m is available through this program for the estimated fifteen grantees.

In its first three years, the program funded 145 organizations in over 26 countries. Water and Sanitation is one of the DGP’s selected technical sectors for the program, having providing funding for over 24 organizations focused in this sector. "In the water sector, the DGP supports activities that directly increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation and improve hygiene. This includes investments to support infrastructure as well as activities related to organizational/institutional capacity-building needed to create sustainable management, improve service delivery or promote human behavior change."

Here are some examples of DGP-funded WASH activities:

Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Zambia

Received $2 Million to extend a WASH in schools programs that served over 320,000 pupils in over 800 schools

Alliance for Youth Achievement

Received a USAID DGP grant to implement 30 new clean water projects in Uganda

Pacific Institute

Received a USAID DGP grant to create a highly accessible communication and monitoring system that develops crowd-sourced map data to improve water and sanitation services for the urban poor in Indonesia

Palms for Life Fund

Received $1.9 M over 3 years for a WASH in schools project affecting 42,000 pupils in 120 schools in Swaziland

*** At WASH Advocates, we see this as an invaluable opportunity for WASH organizations doing vital work around the world to receive USAID funding. The August 8 application deadline is fast approaching. ***

TO APPLY:

1)     Go to www.grants.gov (or follow this link: Click Here)

2)     Left hand menu: select “find grant opportunities”

3)     Left hand menu: Select “browse by agency”

4)     Select “Agency for International Development”

5)     Select “Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-OAA-13-000020”

6)     Select “full announcement”

7)     Download the “full announcement” PDF. (See attached.)

To jumpstart this process, here are countries whose USAID Missions have prioritized water/WASH (these are listed on pages 1-3 of the Request for Applications):

Angola, Botswana, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Nepal, Nigeria, Office of Middle East Programs, Philippines, South Africa, South Africa (regional), and Ukraine.

I encourage those of you active in those countries in particular to consider applying for Development Grants Program assistance. Please distribute this notice as widely as you can – the more WASH applications they receive, the more likely a nice chunk of the $45m will go to WASH.

US organizations: please consider applying directly, and share with your local partners.

Nonprofits in Africa, Asia, Latin America: please consider applying directly, and share with other WASH groups as appropriate.

Please, contact Ben Mann at 571-225-5823 or bmann (at)  WASHadvocates (dot)  org with additional questions.

Policy / Advocacy / Washington DC / WaterAid America job

WaterAid is currently recruiting for the position of Head of Policy and Advocacy in our Washington, DC office. Please see the job description and details on how to apply below. Also, please forward this along to contacts who you think might be good candidates for the position.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

WaterAid America
Head of Policy & Advocacy
July 2010

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the CEO of WaterAid America (WAA) and in close coordination with relevant colleagues throughout WaterAid, the Head of Policy & Advocacy is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership in planning, implementing, and evaluating WAA’s policy analysis and advocacy work. S/he will also play a significant role in representing WAA, its work and public policy positions to high-profile external audiences and in adapting and disseminating policy and advocacy messages for various written and online communications, media, and fundraising purposes.

The Head of Policy and Advocacy is a permanent, full-time position and based in the Washington, DC office, with some time expected to be spent in WaterAid offices in New York. The Washington, DC office is a one person office with support from an intern. Additional positions may be added in the future, but this is contingent upon fundraising.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, implement, and evaluate WAA’s policy analysis and advocacy work.

• In coordination with the CEO, identify key goals, objectives, and activities to guide WAA’s policy analysis and advocacy work in order to further WaterAid’s global policy and advocacy agenda in the US context

• Undertake research and analysis on key policy issues related to international development, particularly US international water, sanitation, and hygiene policies and programs; track developments in the US policy environment, including ongoing assessment of Congressional actions, actions by the Administration, and related policy implementation processes

• Write and produce policy and advocacy outputs, such as reports, briefings, fact sheets and position papers.

• Serve as co-chair of a coalition of NGOs working on policy and advocacy related to water, sanitation, and hygiene; provide strategic guidance and oversight on priorities of the coalition; develop work plan for the group and lead on the execution of that work plan. This WASH working group is hosted by Interaction.

• Build effective relations with relevant US stakeholders, such as NGOs, think tanks, educational and research organizations

• Work closely with the policy and advocacy staff of other WaterAid members, specifically and predominantly with WaterAid UK, to ensure overall policy coherence and complementarity in advocacy activities

• Serve as a principal point of contact between WAA and other US advocates for water and sanitation, including the private sector, other NGOs, and the US government

• Work with WaterAid country programs as appropriate on policy research and contribute to country programs’ understanding of U.S. policies and processes

• Commission and supervise research undertaken by consultants, interns and students

• Build and strengthen relationships with relevant US government agencies and Members of Congress and their staff

• Work closely with WAA’s media and communications staff to communicate policy and advocacy messages; serve as a spokesperson for WAA when appropriate

• Support international and US campaigning activities, including liaising with the End Water Poverty Campaign.

• Represent WAA’s interests in selected national and international forums, as requested

• Manage the day-to-day activities of the WAA Washington, DC office

• Undertake other duties as requested by the CEO

QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong understanding of and commitment to WaterAid’s vision, values and approach

• A strong working knowledge of US government international development policies and processes and of US political, legislative, and NGO institutions

• The capacity, maturity and poise to represent WAA with high-level constituencies

• An understanding of international debates in water and sanitation and of how to influence international development institutions and aid agencies in this area

• Demonstrated high level advocacy and/or negotiation experience with government departments and agencies, politicians and relevant sectoral interests.

• Proven experience in coalition building, negotiation, and influencing

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including excellent writing ability

• Media handling and public speaking skills

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, coupled with strong analytical acumen

• Proven leadership and management skills

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, multi-task, set priorities, and meet deadlines

• Post-graduate [or equivalent] qualification in one of the following areas: water, sanitation, hygiene education, community development, public policy, economics, social sciences or other relevant areas.

• Significant experience of working in the field of international development

To apply for this position, please send a resume and cover letter to Kay Frew at kfrew ((at)) wateraidamerica ((dot)) org with your name and “Head of Policy and Advocacy” in the subject field. No phone calls please. Deadline for applications is August 25, 2010.