Join our work in Uganda: grant applications now live 💡💉

Who are we?

The #VaccineDataCoLab was established to convene local & global multi-sector stakeholders to build a common vision on hyperlocal vaccine data for decision making. It also funds portfolios of grants to experiment and learn from to build a better future. The Vaccine Data CoLab is delivered by Brink and DT Global, and funded by UK Aid.

By funding local collaborations, promoting data sharing and coordinating with the global community on what works, the CoLab bridges the gap between countries’ data needs, existing data systems, and appropriate technologies. We call this approach ‘precision public health’.

We recently shared news about our new partners in Nigeria, Uganda and Indonesia, as well as launching grant applications in Nigeria.

We’re now launching applications for grants in Uganda.

What are we trying to do?

Driving vaccine uptake requires knowing WHO needs to be vaccinated, WHERE they are and WHY they are not vaccinated. Hyperlocal data on both supply (vaccine stock level, location of facilities and health staff etc) and demand (target populations by location, employment, age, co-morbidities; insights on why people are not getting vaccinated such as hesitancy, access, other priorities, misinformation etc) are crucial in planning and delivering targeted behaviour change approaches that go beyond national campaigns.

Each country is unique, so together with our partners Infectious Disease Institute, Makerere University (IDI), we looked at all systemic factors that needed to be taken into account when addressing vaccine uptake in Uganda, using WHO’s 7 Pathways framework. You can read more from our recent Uganda Vaccine Data landscape report.

Local priorities by local actors: three opportunity areas

We brought together 30 participants representing over 10 organisations across National and State government, NGOs, data experts, applied research, and behaviour change experts, and policymakers to build together a shared desired future: where data enables better decision-making to improve vaccine uptake.

Together, using WHO’s 7 Pathways framework we chose priority Pathways to focus on and identified three Opportunity Areas that will help unlock our shared desired future.

Our key Opportunity Areas are:

Opportunity Area 1: Making vaccine data accessible

How can we design and create the policies and systems needed to allow access to vaccine and health data for those who need it?

• The CoLab has found that even where immunisation data has been collected, tensions between protecting privacy and enabling access lead to limited data sharing which in turn impacts decision making and service delivery. Despite this challenge, we heard that there is an opportunity to explore policy options to strike an effective balance. We also heard that there are unexplored partnerships, including cross-sector ones, which have the potential to unlock data for decision making.

Opportunity Area 2: Making vaccine data reliable

How can we improve the quality and useability of data so that it is actionable for implementers and policymakers?

• Hearing from health and vaccine data users in Uganda, the CoLab discovered that there are often quality issues with data at the first stages of the data value chain (data collection). However, we also heard that sufficient HR and training on data collection would improve data reliability. Additionally, while technologies such Smart Paper Technology exists and have high potential, there is an opportunity to innovate further and improve how existing technologies are utilised to improve data quality.

Opportunity Area 3: Making vaccine data valued

How can we shift mindsets and create incentives so that high quality data is highly valued and in-demand at all stages of the data value chain?

• The CoLab found that there is often low motivation among health care workers who collect and analyse vaccine and health data. We also heard that in many cases workers do not perceive data and data collection to be as important as other parts of health service delivery. The stakeholders we spoke with suggested that there are opportunities to improve the availability of quality data if levels of motivation improved and incentives were introduced.
• The CoLab also found that increasing demand for high quality data that is actionable and usable for decision making, would increase motivation and incentives to supply higher quality data.

Will you help us build that better future?

We’re looking for interventions that help us address at least one of the Opportunity Areas, and that are:

Impactful

• They can have an impact addressing at least one of our three key Opportunity Areas
• They would be able to have a demonstrable impact before August 2023

Catalytic

• They can combine our funding with existing work, or funding from other sources, to create greater impact

Connected

• They can link into a wider ecosystem of solutions to achieve even greater impact
• They have buy-in from a national or sub-national government partner to ensure that the solution is aligned with national priorities

Our first workshop in Uganda, 2023

Our Offer to You:

We’re asking a lot here, but we think that we can offer you a lot too. The Vaccine Data CoLab will be able to provide:

Grant funding

• We can provide up to 6 months of grant funding for your intervention
• Each award made by the CoLab will be an average of £43,000, but we would consider applications that require less funding, or slightly more funding

Technical assistance

• We will link each grantee up with coaching from innovation and data experts who can help you achieve your goals
• Our team can also help to source in-kind contributions to support implementation

Global sharing and connections

• We’ll support grantees with global sharing to show and replicate what works across geographies.
• We’ll provide matchmaking support to additional funders to address data needs at scale.

Eligibility Requirements

• Only legally registered non-government organisations (including for-profit firms and UN agencies) are eligible for receiving direct support from the Vaccine Data CoLab
• No individuals nor government entities will be considered
• If the intervention is delivered as a consortium, the lead organisation should submit the application
• Please submit one application per intervention
• Applications must cover only Uganda
• Organisations are welcome to submit multiple applications if their work covers interventions addressing different factors
• An organisation can receive multiple grants for different applications

The Application Process

The Vaccine Data CoLab is using a two-stage rolling application process.

We’d love to hear your initial idea. The application shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes!

If your idea:

1. Meets the eligibility criteria for round one

2. Is impactful, catalytic and connected, based on our Evaluation Criteria.

Your organisation will be asked to complete a second-round application, asking for more detail.

Please note: not all organisations asked to complete the second application process will receive support from the Vaccine Data CoLab.

Apply by completing the submission form here.

You can also find a full summary of this overview, the questions in the submission form, and the evaluation criteria, here.

If you have any questions, contact VaccineData@makingbetterfutures.org

Deadline and Next Steps:

We will be reviewing submissions weekly and inviting eligible applicants to submit a second application within 1–2 weeks of invitation.

Applications close 11:59 pm 28th February 2023 (East Africa Time).

Grants will be awarded starting in March 2023 and projects will run until August 2023.