International Development Grant
Scaling Health Innovations Partnership
Project Number: CA-3-S065812001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $10,044,521.00
Start Date: October 02, 2013
End Date: April 30, 2019
Duration: 5.6 years
Project Description
This project aims to improve the health of people in developing countries by supporting the introduction of health and financial innovations in developing countries. The project supports eligible researchers and scientists from Canada and the developing world to implement their proven innovations where people suffer disproportionately from poor health. The project aims to implement low-tech low-cost innovations that have the potential to be disseminated widely and successfully and that use novel approaches to increase the delivery and demand of local health services. The project also aims to explore test and validate new financial mechanisms to encourage greater innovation and improved health outcomes. Innovative financing mechanisms include approaches whereby recipient countries or organizations receive financial support based on the fulfillment of specific conditions such as the improvement of the health of mothers and children. Project activities include: (1) launching a call for proposals to Canadian and developing-country researchers and scientists for the scale-up of health innovations in low- and middle-income countries; (2) selecting proposals to scale-up eligible and proven health innovations; and (3) launching a call for proposals to international organizations with expertise in innovative financing mechanisms to present concrete models with potential for successful implementation in low- and middle-income countries for testing and validation. Grand Challenges Canada is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization launched in 2010 that supports the implementation of the Government of Canada's Development Innovation Fund. The Fund was established to support innovators in Canada and the developing world to address and solve difficult challenges faced in health across the world.
Expected Results
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased application of health innovations by target populations; and (2) increased availability of proven health innovations ready to be brought to scale in real world settings.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of the end of the project (April 2019) include: (1) the project has supported the transition to scale of 14 innovations that have reached 3.7 million men and women with new health products and services; (2) over 45 000 people have experienced measurable improvements in health due to the implementation of these innovations; (3) a Development Impact Bond (DIB) for Kangaroo Mother Care for low-birth-weight and pre-term infants was created and implemented in hospitals across five regions of Cameroon representing one of the first health DIBs to be established globally; and (4) for every dollar invested by Global Affairs Canada via Grand Challenges Canada an additional $1.95 has been invested by other partners. In addition to their achieved results Grand Challenges Canada estimates that 8 of the innovations are on track to improve between 440 000 and 1.4 million lives by 2030.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Grand Challenges Canada
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP