POLICY AND ADVOCACY/COMMUNICATIONS

Proposal Information

Organization Name
Project Name
ID Number / Foundation Program Officer

Introduction

In this module of the proposal guidelines, we inquire further into the activities in your proposal that might involve efforts to influence public opinion or policy, or activities that might intentionally or unintentionally warrant the engagement of local, national or international media or other public attention.

The foundation believes that being adequately prepared for situations that might entail advocacy, policy, or external communications responses is important to the viability and success of the projects we invest in. Our inquiries below extend to your plans for undertaking activities related to influencing public or decision-maker opinion; securing financing; engaging the media; or responding to potential public controversies. Your answers to the questions below will help our reviewers direct your proposal to the most appropriate person(s) who can help evaluate and develop your planned approaches for handling advocacy, policy or communications considerations.

Policy and Advocacy considerations - Systematic barriers often exist that maylimit the impact offoundation investments to develop and deliver global health advancements. These might include social/cultural, political, regulatory, andpolicy conditions that make it difficult to conduct research, to bring in fundingor implementing partners; or to introduce new technologies, drugs, or vaccines into a population. Where these barriers exist, it is critical that they have been considered and addressed in advance of beginning new projects.

Examples of advocacy considerations include:

  • The need to examine social or political consequences related to potentially controversial activities or programs, including clinical trial activities
  • The need tocreate or engage international government or donor financing mechanisms todevelop ordelivernew products or technologies
  • The need to develop government, civil society, or private sector partnerships, or to secure broad governmental approval for a project (at the local, national, or international scale)

Communications considerations - The media has a significant influence on the public’s and leadership’s perceptions about the work that the foundation and its grantees are involved in. On occasion, misinformation, incomplete study results, or misinterpretation aboutglobal health-relatedwork gets communicated to the public by the domestic or international media in a way that negatively impacts public perception about the work, and can be debilitating or detrimental to a project’s progress. For this reason, those projects involving potentially sensitive subject matter or circumstances should have communications plans in place in advance in order to avoid unforeseen public relations controversies, and to instead generate supportive and amiable relations with the media and the public on the issues involved in the work being conducted.

Examples of communications considerations include:

  • The need to preemptively plan how to address local, national or international media’s response to - or inquiries regarding - the content, merit, process, or outcomes of a project or program
  • The need to inform public or policy-maker opinion to foster a supportive regulatory, cultural, social or economic environment to introduce new subject matter or methods
  • The need to preemptively plan a response to potential public controversies or concerns regarding the content, merit, process, or outcomes of a project or program
  • The need to engage high-profile individuals (celebrities, public officials, or other recognizable people) to promote or discuss your project or program
Sections to Be Completed

A. General Advocacy Considerations

Do you have an objective around advocacy or communications that is not listed in the main proposal? (Yes/No)

  • If yes, please describe it in detail:

Please describe in detail any activities in your proposed project that will entail the following (if not applicable, mark N/A):

1. Outreach to policymakers or leaders onpolitical, financing, policy or communications-relatedissues (i.e. those issues relating to the positioning of global health in the broader development agenda):

2. Activities being conducted in countries where embargoes (Cuba, Sudan, Iran) or significant economic restrictions apply (e.g. North Korea, Myanmar, Syria):

  • How have you accounted in your operating plan for conducting activities under the constrained political or social circumstances that might exist in these countries?

B. Communications Considerations

Please describe in detail any activities in your proposed project that will entail the following (if not applicable, mark N/A):

  1. The use of the media or other public platforms to inform or educate about specific global health issues? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, what types of issues? (Please be specific about what messages or information you will try to convey.)
  • What types of public platforms or media will be employed?
  1. Engagement of high-profileindividuals as spokespeople or representatives (including public officials, celebrities, widely-known community leaders, or others)? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, what types of high-profile individuals will be engaged (community leaders, celebrities, etc.)?
  • Who are they (if known at this time)?
  • What is their relation to your organization, cause or project, and how will they be helpful in advancing the objectives of this project?
  1. Are you aware of any potential controversies about the content, merit, process, or outcomes of your project, research or program? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, please describe:

In regards to your responses to the questions in sections A and B above, please answer the following further questions concerning advocacy and communications planning:

  1. Do you have a communications and/or advocacy plan (as applicable) in place that addresses the above considerations (i.e., outreach to leadership or policy-makers; engagement of the media to inform public or policy-maker opinion; engagement of high-profile individuals; conducting work in politically-sensitive countries; responding to potential controversies about the content, merit, process, or outcomes of your project, research or program)? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, please describe the plan (including activities involved, the messages you expect to communicate, and audiences you will need to target):
  1. Who will be responsible for carrying out the plan (e.g., project manager, PI, advocacy or communications staff person, consultant)?
  • Is this person (or are these people) (an) experienced communications professional(s)? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, please succinctly describe the communications credentials of this person (these people):
  • If no, has this person (or have these people) had communications, public speaking or media training? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, please succinctly describe the communications training this person (or these people) has (have) undertaken:
  1. Have you allocated a portion of your budget for carrying out the communications plan? (Yes/No)
  • If yes, what percentage of your total project budget represents the communications component of your activities? (% total)

C. Further Policy Considerations

Does the proposal's success depend on large-scale policy change at the national or international level (e.g. new WHO recommendations, changing national treatment guidelines)? (Yes/No)

  • If yes, what sources among the local, national or international community (organizations, governments) do you plan on engaging to secure support for these revised or new regulations?

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POLICY AND ADVOCACY/COMMUNICATIONS

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