Overview of CSHGP

Since 1985, USAID has supported community-based child survival and health programs implemented by U.S. organizations and their local partners. The purpose of this program is to contribute to sustained improvements in child survival and health outcomes by supporting the work of organizations and their in-country partners. This work is aimed at reducing infant, child, maternal and infectious disease-related morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Sustained health improvements are achieved through building the capacity of communities and local organizations and improved health systems and policies. In addition, the program seeks opportunities to scale up successful strategies to the national level and to contribute to the global capacity and leadership for child survival and health through the dissemination of best practices. In order to reach vulnerable populations, organizations work in a variety of settings, from the smallest, most remote communities to large, district-wide programs, and partner with local groups including community-based groups, local NGOs and national and district health authorities.

The Child Survival and Health Grants Program (CSHGP) is housed in the Bureau for Global Health's Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition (GH/HIDN). GH/HIDN strongly supports the role and contribution that organizations and their local partners play in improving the quality of life of some of the most disadvantaged populations in developing countries. For more information about the CSHGP, refer to: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/home/Funding/cs_grants/cs_index.html

The three main program components of the CSHGP include:

1. Cooperative Agreements:  Each year, new cooperative agreements are awarded to support community-based health programs in specific child survival and health technical areas. The current portfolio consists of approximately 60 projects in 34 countries.
   
   
2. CORE Group: The CSHGP supports the CORE Group, a network organization of more than 45 NGO members collectively working in 180 countries. CORE's mission is to strengthen local capacity on a global scale to measurably improve the health and well-being of children and women in developing countries through collaborative NGO action and learning. Organizations participate in CORE's eight working groups in the areas of IMCI, Malaria, Monitoring and Evaluation, Nutrition, Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health, Social and Behavioral Change, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis. Organizations interested in participating in CORE Group activities and learning more about the child survival community should consider applying for membership to the network. For more information, see the CORE web site: http://www.coregroup.org/
   
   
3. Child Survival and Technical Support Plus (CSTS+) Project:  The CSHGP provides resources to Macro International under the Child Survival and Technical Support Plus Project (CSTS+). CSTS+ offers an array of services to CSHGP and its partners, including grantees, potential grantees and new partners. CSTS+ activities seek to enhance the contributions of organizations and their local partners to carry out effective, quality child and maternal health and infectious disease programs. CSTS+ gives ad hoc technical support to its partners through a team with expertise in monitoring and evaluation, technical child survival and health interventions, organizational development, family planning/reproductive health, and health management information systems. For more information, see the CSTS+ web site: http://www.childsurvival.com/.
   
   

The New Partner Initiative (NPI) began in 2004. It is supported by CSTS+ and seeks to improve the quality of new partner applications to the CSHGP each year, while supporting new partner grantees to implement high quality projects. Strategies to achieve this goal have been tested by the CSTS+ and CSHGP teams, under the leadership of the New Partner Advisor, to determine what activities best put the CSHGP in touch with potential new partners, and what best supports new partner grantees.

Definitions for CSHGP NPI

Potential new partner: : U.S. PVOs and non-profit NGOs that have been awarded no more than $5 million in total, direct U.S. Government funding from any source for any purpose over the five fiscal years prior to submission of an application. Direct U.S. Government funding does not include: 1) U.S. Government emergency and disaster assistance, whether domestic or international, or 2) U.S. Government domestic or international funding received by virtue of a subcontract or sub-grant. The $5 million eligibility limitation applies not only to the principal applicant but to any organization with which the principal applicant may choose to enter into a subcontract or grant. All interested applicants must meet the eligibility, organizational and project requirements identified in the Selection Criteria Section of the RFA (see 2008 RFA for complete description of applicant eligibility)

New partner grantee: An organization that has been funded under the Entry/New Partner category. This organization will work closely with the New Partner Advisor to plan and implement baseline surveys and to prepare the project's Detailed Implementation Plan.

Goal of CSHGP NPI

The New Partner Initiative provides an opportunity to expand the number and type of organizations receiving USAID funding to implement community oriented child survival and health projects. New Partners can plan an important role in the CSHGP, bringing new perspectives and approaches to the portfolio and building the capacity of local partner organizations in the countries and areas of implementation.