Advocacy Initiative
2012-2018
Capital for Good USA recognized that some organizations—both public and private—were overlooked as potential partners in advancing global health and development. In many cases, these organizations were already engaged with the global health community and, with additional support, could extend their influence—convening power, education efforts, and fundraising tactics—to benefit critical issues. In response, the Advocacy Initiative was created to (1) identify promising partners, (2) develop high-impact projects that impact advocacy efforts for global health, and (3) ensure that partners implement projects to their fullest capabilities.
The Advocacy Initiative focused on identifying and funding high-impact advocacy projects to promote more and better use of resources, effective policies, and greater visibility of issues critical to the global health community. Grants to these projects supported a range of activities, including: recruiting global health advocates, developing advocacy strategies, informing the global health community of complex policy issues, and building relationships among key stakeholders.
Over nearly seven years, the Advocacy Initiative portfolio identified and partnered with 35 organizations—ranging from seasoned international organizations to small groups still seeking organizational registration. Grants and contracts totaling more than $14 million developed high-impact projects to promote advocacy efforts for global health, and to ensure that partners implemented projects to their fullest capabilities. These projects included advocacy efforts in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, family planning, and nutrition, as well as numerous multi-sector initiatives. Together, their collective voices and innovative work brought much-needed attention—and resources—to critical issues in the global health community.
Partner Spotlight
Supporting People Living with HIV to Advocate for and Inform Policy
Through the Optimizing Treatment Now initiative, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) supported local networks to improve the efficacy of their advocacy efforts on issues affecting access to and uptake of HIV/AIDS treatment, care, support, and prevention services. The project resulted in the creation of the 2013-2015 Global Advocacy Agenda by and for people living with HIV, which clearly outlines the priorities and challenges faced by this group in terms of prevention, treatment, care and support; human rights; and community mobilization, strengthening and activism. Accompanied by a call to action, the Global Advocacy Agenda re-energized GNP+ and partner networks to work under a common set of goals toward achieving global treatment and prevention targets in the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS and the Millennium Development Goals.
Building a Coordinated Advocacy Campaign for Maternal Health
Every Mother Counts (EMC), an organization dedicated to ending preventable deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth, launched the Every Mother Counts campaign with the goal of coordinating the efforts of corporate, institutional, non-profit, and grassroots organizations to promote greater awareness of and engagement in maternal health. To build the foundation of a unified advocacy effort, EMC developed a recognized brand, generated advocacy materials with partner organizations, created a website, and commenced a grant-making program. As a result of their efforts, theEvery Mother Counts campaign established a platform through which partner organizations and the public can engage in the global discourse on maternal health.
Marking the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases
Global Health Strategies designed and facilitated a groundbreaking event to mark the launch of the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases. Held in January 2012 at the Royal College of Physicians in London, the event convened both public and private partners to pledge financial support to this collaborative program aimed at achieving the control and elimination of 10 neglected tropical diseases by 2020. The London Declaration was overwhelmingly successful in galvanizing support and interest: subsequently, Global Health Strategies was funded to host a second event in the fall of 2012 to re-convene industry, government, academic, and private stakeholders to broaden the dialogue on research, funding, and intervention strategies.