This Annual Program Statement (APS) publicizes the intention of the United States Government (USG), as represented by the USAID Bureau for Global Health (GH), to fund one or multiple awards to address the overarching APS program purpose to strengthen the generation and utilization of social and behavior change (SBC) evidence to improve the uptake and continuation of healthy behaviors.
This APS document outlines the goal, purpose, expected results, and priorities of the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Research project, and may result in multiple awards issued under subsequent APS Rounds. Note: when referencing SBC Research in this document, it is referring to the full portfolio of possible awards under this overall purpose. This document is an umbrella APS and will not solicit concept papers or applications. Prospective applicants will be provided a fair opportunity to develop and submit competitive concept papers to USAID for potential funding via Rounds under this APS.
The purpose of this APS is to strengthen the generation and utilization of SBC evidence to improve the uptake and continuation of healthy behaviors, including but not limited to healthy spacing and timing of pregnancies, care-seeking at onset of illness, adequate complementary feeding, childhood immunizations, use of health and nutrition services, and other health outcomes. To achieve this purpose, the SBC Research APS will focus on three key areas of work: 1) research to answer priority social and behavioral science questions to improve the uptake and continuation of healthy behaviors; 2) research to improve the monitoring and evaluation of SBC programs; and 3) technical assistance for improved SBC research utilization in USAID and host country government-funded health and development programs and policies.
To be considered as a potential prime on a full application, an organization must submit a concept paper (as an intended prime or sub-partner) to the relevant Round. Please note that a single organization may not submit more than one concept paper, in total, to any given Round; if an organization submits more than one concept paper to any Round, only the first one received (determined by email timestamp for the USAID POC) will be evaluated.
Interested applicants from within Duke should contact fundopps@duke.edu as early as possible.
Closing Date: December 31, 2029
Deadline for Submission of Concept Papers for Round 1: May 14, 2021
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Population and Reproductive Health (PRH) is pleased to announce Round 1 under the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Research Annual Program Statement (APS). The overarching goal of this APS is to help accelerate countries’ progress towards their health and development goals through key investments in SBC learning and research utilization. New investments in SBC research will advance sustainable improvements in the health, well-being, and development of the populations in USAID priority countries by building local capacity to analyze data, conduct research, and incorporate evidence-based SBC practices into health and development programs and systems at global, regional, and country levels.
- Round 1 Result 1: Generate new evidence through the implementation and rigorous evaluation of innovative SBC interventions addressing the agency of individuals and communities to improve the uptake and continuation of healthy behaviors at scale.
- Round 1 Result 2: Improved monitoring and evaluation of SBC interventions, including improved understanding and utilization of key SBC indicators.
- Round 1 Result 3: Improved research utilization of SBC evidence in the design, implementation, and evaluation of other USAID and host country government-funded health and development programs.
The Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Research Round 1: is not a Request for Application (RFA) but rather a request for Concept Paper(s) in response to this Round published under the Social and Behavior Change Annual Program Statement (SBC APS). To be competitive, the Concept Paper submission must be fully responsive to all directions under this Round and SBC APS. Based on the submitted Concept Paper, USAID will determine whether to request a Full Application from an eligible organization. Issuance of this Round does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of Concept Paper(s) or Application(s). Issuance of award is subject to the availability of funds and the interest and requirements of USAID as well as the viability of eventual Full Application(s) received.
Interested applicants from within Duke should contact fundopps@duke.edu as early as possible.
U.S. and non-U.S. public, private, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations, as well as institutions of higher education, public international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, are eligible to submit a concept paper under each Round(s) of this APS. Further, the organization must be a legally recognized organizational entity under applicable law, not otherwise restricted by statue, regulation, Agency policy, or administrative determination (i.e., suspension and debarment) from receiving assistance, and legally registered in a country that is not prohibited source per ADS 310.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have capacity to operate in more than one country. Concept papers and resulting full applications can be global or regional. The organization(s) must have the capacity to work simultaneously in or across multiple countries, particularly in USAID’s focus countries (Appendix B).