In an effort to build local capacity surrounding access to medicines issues, OSI's Public Health Program is issuing the attached request for proposals. Grants for up to $75,000, renewable for up to three years, will be awarded to local NGOs with a mandate and demonstrated capacity to advance policy and civil society engagement related to access to medicines in Brazil, India, Kenya, Malaysia, South Africa, and Thailand. Interested organisations should submit an application no later than Monday, July 16, 2007. We would appreciate your assistance in forwarding this to your networks. Please direct any questions to Jane Li at jli@sorosny.org. Despite advances in medical science, safe and affordable medicines remain inaccessible in many developing countries. According to the World Health Organization, 30% of the world's population lacks access to essential medicines-estimated at between 1.3 and 2.1 billion people. Current procurement mechanisms, lack of transparency, intellectual property protections, and legal restrictions constitute major barriers to needed medications in many parts of the world. The human cost of these policies is enormous with developing countries showing an average life expectancy of 14 years less than that for developed countries. The creation of the World Health Organization Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation, and Public Health in 2003 and subsequent Intergovernmental Working Group on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health recognizes this urgency and signals increased global interest in access issues and innovation for neglected diseases. Civil society engagement and the voices of the global South are crucial for a genuine shift in framework. Currently, there are a handful of Southern organizations carrying out cutting-edge access to medicines work in their home countries. However, budget and staffing constraints limit their participation in international and regional arenas and their ability to increase public awareness and advocacy at the national level. In an effort to strengthen needed capacity, the Open Society Institute Public Health and Information Programs are seeking applications from qualified organizations interested in receiving institutional support for their work on access to essential medicines. Funding is available for organisations with a mandate and demonstrated capacity to advance policy and civil society engagement related to access to medicines. Funding for access to medicines work will be unrestricted and can be used for salaries, overhead, and projects of the applicants' choosing. Requests of up to $75,000 annually will be considered. OSI anticipates renewing this support for a three year period. If requested, technical assistance will be offered throughout the length of the grant period. OSI may further sponsor seminars and meetings for grantees to share lessons learned. Who Should Apply? Legally registered NGOs based in one of the following countries: Brazil, India, Kenya, Malaysia, South Africa, and Thailand. How to Apply? Interested organizations should submit an application no later than Monday, 16 July 2007. All applications must be completed in English. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Submission of applications by email is preferred, but materials sent by fax or mail will also be accepted. Applications should be submitted to OSI's Access to Medicines project in New York: By email: jli@sorosny.org By fax: +1 (646) 557 2550 By mail: Open Society Institute ATTN: Jane Li 400 West 59th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10019 USA Selection process A grant selection committee consisting of global and regional experts and advocates will review applications and recommend a list of semi-finalists. Applicants will be notified of first-round results no later than August 13, 2007. Applicants will be notified of final selection results no later than September 14, 2007. Please direct questions to Jane Li at jli@sorosny.org Application instructions This grant application consists of 6 parts: . Part 1. Contact information . Part 2. Detailed Proposal . Part 3. Technical Assistance . Part 4. Institutional Information . Part 5. CVs . Part 6. Budget Part 1: Contact information Name of NGO submitting application NGO contact person (name and title)* Street address City Postal code Country Phone number of contact person Fax number of contact person E-mail address of contact person Other collaborating institutions (list all other institutions) Total funding requested from OSI Other funding for AEM work at NGO Total budget of NGO *Each NGO must designate a contact person who will manage grant funds and communication with OSI. Part 2: Proposal (no more than 10 pages) Please provide a detailed description of your organisation's goals, projects, outcomes, and needs that includes the following information: . Organizational mission, rationale, and access to medicines mandate Provide an overall statement of purpose for your organization and why your work is relevant to your local context and the aims of this project; discuss the major challenges to obtaining access to medicines in your country. . Previous accomplishments on access to medicines issues Describe two previously completed AEM projects that are representative of your organization's goals, partners, and method of operation. . Potential future work to build upon previous activity Describe the work your organization would undertake if provided with unrestricted institutional support, including ongoing research and advocacy, special projects, proposed campaigns, and institutional growth. How do you intend to impact change on AEM policy issues? With what organizations do you intend to collaborate on these projects? . Organizational vision and growth Describe your organization's long-term goals and the resources and other factors needed to reach those goals. Part 3: Technical Assistance Identify specific kinds of technical assistance (e.g. governance and management, strategic planning, research and documentation, monitoring, media use, advocacy in international and regional fora) that would allow your organization to build on its previous accomplishments. Please be as detailed and specific as possible. Part 4: CVs Include CVs for key project implementers listed in the budget. Part 5: Institutional Information Please attach an official letter certifying that your NGO is registered in your country. Part 6: Budget . Budgets should not exceed $75,000. Funding will be proportional to the local exchange rate and the budget of the organization. . Please provide your 2007 budget for AEM work. . Outline how you propose to utilize OSI core funding. The funding is unrestricted and can be used for salaries, overhead, and projects of the applicants' choosing. . Please provide financial statements for your NGO from the past two years. . Please include and describe any institutional and/or project based funding your organization is currently receiving or expects to receive in the next year. Please specify if funding is provided from the pharmaceutical industry, trade associations, or other corporate sources. The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a private operating and grantmaking foundation based in New York City that serves as a hub of the Open Society Network, a group of autonomous foundations and organizations in over 50 countries. This network implements a range of initiatives that aim to promote open society by shaping government policy and supporting education, media, public health and human and women's rights, as well as social, legal and economic reform. Background information on the Open Society Institute (OSI) can be found at www.soros.org. The Access to Medicines project supports efforts to increase access to essential medicines to developing countries and marginalized populations. Work has focused on three key areas: transparency and monitoring of the pharmaceutical industry; procurement mechanisms, and intellectual property. The project promotes civil society engagement with these issues and actively supports a civil society platform around the WHO Working Group on innovation for neglected diseases. The project works closely with OSI's palliative care and harm reduction initiatives. This project is located within OSI's Public Health Program. Additional information on the Public Health Program can be found at www.soros.org/health. The Information Program The Information Program aims to enhance the ability to access, exchange, and produce knowledge and information for key open society constituencies and disadvantaged groups, especially in the poorer parts of the world. It further supports the use of new tools and techniques to empower civil society in national, regional, and global arenas. More information can be found at: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/information.