Scaling Challenge: Adopting Innovations in High Severity Settings

To apply for Adopting Innovations in High Severity Contexts, submit an Expression of Interest via our Common Grant Application platform

Already have an account with with Common Grant? Log in to start an application 

Don’t have an account? Sign up to open an account and start an application

You can contact us at hif@elrha.org, please reference “High Severity Scale” in the subject line, repeated questions will be added to the FAQ.

No. You should not apply for this funding proposing to adapt an innovation to a substantially different purpose.  For example, you should not try changing the target group of a product or process that has been developed for use with a specific target group.  That is not to say that the innovation must already have been used within the exact same context; for example, the country of application may be different, but in that case at Full Proposal stage, applicants will need to adequately address what challenges they foresee, including translation/contextualisation and how they would face such challenges (see Page 4 of Annex 1).

We welcome applications that use various partnership models, and this could include consortia.

As per page 6 of the handbook: the lead applicant must be the adopting organisation, not the innovator; however, the innovating organisation may be included in the project as a partner, for example, providing technical guidance or support for contextualisation (but not using funding as a general resource for further work on their innovation).

Where a consortium is applying with one of its members as the Lead Organisation, it is important that the Lead Organisation (the one proposing to contract with Elrha) meets the eligibility criteria: for example, being a legally registered entity; having substantial sector-relevant programmes in at least three of the listed countries; proposing to adopt a hif-funded innovation (with a project page listed in Annex 2); not having developed the innovation or adopted it before.

If the Consortium itself, is the lead applicant, and a member of the consortium developed the innovation or is already routinely using it, then this would be ineligible under Criterion F, as the Hif-funded innovation would have been “developed by a part of the same organisation”.  You should consider applying with a different lead applicant that meets the criteria.

Yes, following the update to the Inform index, we have added Colombia as an eligible Very High Severity setting.  This change is reflected in the body text of this webpage and Colombia has been added to the list of countries in the Common Grants Application platform. (We will not be reissuing the Challenge Handbook or Annex 1).

Yes. Word Document versions of the text of the Challenge Handbook and of Annex 1 can be found here:
Accessible format of Challenge Handbook Adopting innovations in high severity settings

Accessible format of Handbook Annex 1

We include in the handbook the line (page 6) “Applicants must not have already implemented the innovation or been a part of its development.”  If the adopting organization (the Lead Applicant) has previously received HIF grant or sub-grant funding to work on this innovation then we would consider that they have been part of the development of the innovation. For example, if you were a HIF project lead and a host-organisation to the innovators we would consider that as being “part of the development of an innovation” even if you have not yet adopted the resulting innovation.

The Faircap is a small, portable, low cost and easy-to-use water filter that can be screwed on to standard plastic beverage bottles and containers.

The Oxfam Handwashing Stand is a self-contained kit for family and communal handwashing that enables first-phase emergency installation because it is easy to use, assemble, transport and maintain.

MediCapt is a mobile application that guides clinicians through the effective and comprehensive documentation of sexual and gender-based violence, and securely stores and transmits evidence to the justice sector to increase access to justice for survivors.

RAM-OP is a rapid assessment method for measuring the nutritional status and needs, and other related factors that affect older people in humanitarian situations. It includes a questionnaire, a sampling method, and software for data analysis. It allows humanitarian workers to gather evidence on the nutritional vulnerability of older people in emergencies and plan the response accordingly.

Gravit’eau is a water-recycling handwashing station that provides access to safe, clean handwashing in humanitarian contexts where water is scarce.

Susan Bartels, of Queen’s University,  has worked with humanitarian organisations in Lebanon and Latin America, using sense-making software for rapid, large scale information gathering on GBV among displaced populations.

Self-disinfecting menstrual underwear, and laundry bags; understanding socio-cultural norms, health outcomes and the environmental impact related to MHM.

The underwear consists of multiple layers including a self-sterilising smart technology layer, multiple absorbent layers, and a leak-proof layer. This product is designed to be reusable, easily washable, and odour-neutralising.

The wash and dry bags ensure undergarments remain hygienic through avoiding contact with the latrine floor.

The Tiger Worm Toilet is the nearest technology available to a ‘perpetual toilet’ — using worms to continuously treat human waste, transforming it into vermicompost with potential economic and environmental benefits.

These tools support communities to work together to identity their Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs and resources, and develop action plans to prepare for emergencies, protect vulnerable community members, and ensure that SRH services are included in crisis response. The Women’s Refugee Commission has developed community capacity and needs assessment tools and piloted the Community Preparedness for SRH and Gender curriculum in Nepal.

Driven forwards by Healthright International, SH+360 is a consultancy model of tailored support delivered across the full project cycle to help leading humanitarian partners integrate SH+ into their programming across sectors. Self Help Plus (SH+) was developed by WHO to directly address limitations to scale of MHPSS interventions.