Applications Invited for the Pandemic Fund Second Round of Funding

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About the Organization

The Pandemic Fund finances critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

The devastating human, economic, and social cost of COVID-19 has highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to build stronger health systems and mobilize additional resources for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR).  While there are many institutions and financing mechanisms that support pandemic PPR activities, none of them is solely focused on it. This means that spending on other immediate needs can take priority over critical pandemic PPR investments, some of whose return may only materialize in the future.

Recognizing the need to address chronic under-investments in pandemic PPR capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, in April 2022, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors requested that the World Bank begin exploring the process to develop and set up a new fund.  With broad support from the G20, the World Health Organization (WHO), founding donors, civil society, and other stakeholders, the World Bank’s Board of Directors approved the proposal to establish The Pandemic Fund on June 30, 2022.

About the Grant

The Pandemic Fund’s Governing Board approved a grant envelope of $500 million for its second round of funding to help low- and middle-income countries scale up efforts to better prepare for future pandemics.

In recognition of the high demand for funding under the first Call—considered a pilot Call, the second Call for Proposals will have a larger funding envelope and will again prioritize high-impact investments at national and regional level in early warning and disease surveillance systems, laboratory systems, and strengthening human resources and public health and community workforce capacity. Particular attention will be paid to community and civil society engagement, gender equity, and other broader equity considerations as cross-cutting areas of focus in proposal development and implementation.

The Pandemic Fund—a multi-stakeholder partnership—provides a dedicated stream of additional, long-term grant financing to strengthen critical pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) capacities and capabilities in low- and middle-income countries. It has mobilized $2 billion to date from 24 sovereign contributors and three philanthropies. The Fund is a collaborative effort between governments, the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), other UN agencies, multilateral development banks (MDBs), global health initiatives, philanthropies, and civil society organizations. The Fund’s governance is inclusive, with balanced representation from the Global North and the Global South, and with governments, philanthropies, and civil society organizations as voting members.

Earlier this year the Pandemic Fund allocated its first round of grants after receiving 179 applications for over $2.5 billion in requests from 133 countries. Grants worth $338 million, mobilizing an additional $2 billion, were awarded to 19 applicants covering 37 countries across six region.

How to Apply

Applications close: May 17, 2024.

Any country that is eligible to receive funding from IBRD and/or IDA is eligible, in principle, to receive funding from the Pandemic Fund.

Unsuccessful applicants who submitted proposals in the first round are encouraged to re-apply in the second round, using the feedback they received. The exact date of funding allocation will be decided by the Governing Board in June; however, the announcement will be made no later than October 2024.

As the world continues to face multiple crises, grants from the Pandemic Fund – which aim to leave no one behind in detecting and responding to health emergencies in low- and middle-income countries in particular – are especially important.

Download Guidance Note and Call for Proposals.

For more information please check the Link

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