OSI Network Public Health Program
Grant Application: Improving Public Health Info. Servers in Central and Eastern Europe
Current national public health servers in Central and Eastern Europe sometimes fall short of meeting the needs of the public health professional communities. Current and accurate health statistics, reports, reference materials, and other health information may be hard to come by and may be difficult to download or access due to hardware, software or Internet connectivity problems. These web servers need to be improved.
As part of an effort to increase access to health data and information available via the web in Central and Eastern Europe, the OSI Network Public Health Program invites those institutions that currently administer a national public health information server to submit an application for funding to improve, expand and market their site.
Project Summary
This project offers a unique opportunity to institutions currently administering a national public health information server to broaden their audiences, and enhance site quality, usability and accessibility. OSI wishes to promote the growth of web-based health resources in Central and Eastern Europe by awarding one-time grants to organizations whose current capacity positions them ideally for further funding to continue their roles as regional leaders in providing Internet-based access to critical health data. Please note the following: Funding may not be used for the creation of a new public health information server. This grant competition is open ONLY to those institutions that currently administer a national public health information server in their country.
Funding from the Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a private operating and grant-making foundation that seeks to promote the development and maintenance of open societies around the world by supporting a range of programs in the areas of educational, social, and legal reform, and by encouraging alternative approaches to complex and often controversial issues.
Established in 1993 and based in New York City, the Open Society Institute is part of the Soros foundations network, an informal network of organizations created by George Soros and operating in over 30 countries around the world, principally in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union but also in Guatemala, Haiti, Mongolia, Southern Africa, and the United States.
Together with its Hungary-based affiliate, the Open Society Institute-Budapest, OSI-NY assists these organizations by providing administrative, financial, and technical support, and by establishing “network programs” that address certain issues on a regional or network-wide basis.
Project Description
National public health information servers in Central and Eastern Europe are of increasing importance in providing public health professionals with important health data and information. These sites have trouble, however, keeping up with the pace at which new information is generated and needed. They may also suffer from use of outmoded computer hardware and software, slow connections to the Internet, poor design and inaccurate and expired data. This program seeks to solve some of these problems.
Core Project Activities:
Successful applicants will have a clear understanding of the needs of their national public health communities and will effectively adapt their existing national health public information servers to meet the growing needs of these communities. Successful applicants will be able to quickly identify areas for improvement in their servers and will be able to quickly put into action their renovation plans upon receipt of the OSI grant.
Successful applicants will focus in their renovations on access to accurate health data and statistics, providing access to government reports, databases and text journals, and as many other kinds of health information resources as possible. They will also focus on making their sites easier to navigate and pull information from. OSI hopes, also, that these sites will provide portals for communication amongst health professionals, for whose jobs this health data is so important. Below are listed some core areas of activity.
Evaluate your national public health server and identify areas of expansion and improvement
Identify sources for comprehensive, accurate and current health data and information, databases, texts and journals, CD-ROMS, reports from governments and other experts and authorities, and as many other types of health information as possible
Design and implement system for securing the above and posting them to the server
Define clear programmatic goals and action plans, and identify partner and other resources for site development
Design and implement strategies to promote the health data server in the national dialogue on health
Design and implement marketing plan to promote the site amongst users (i.e. health professionals)
Develop strategy for long-term sustainment of improvement efforts and promotion
Leverage OSI funding to gain additional support from other sources on this and future health data server development.
Update hardware, software and Internet connection as necessary
Identify and address any training needs
Ongoing
site evaluation.
Two sites in the US serve as models for creating comprehensive web sites for health information. The states of Utah (http://hlunix.hl.state.ut.us/) and New York (http://www.health.state.ny.us/) have done much to make as much health information as possible available.
Selection process
Procedure:
Grantees will be selected in a two-round process. In the first
round, applications will be reviewed by the local Soros Foundation in
each country. In the second round, the local foundations will
forward their recommendations on to the Open Society Institute/New
York for final selection.
Timeline:
Applications must be received electronically by the local Soros Foundation by July 15, 2001.
Applications reviewed at local Soros Foundations and sent to OSI/New York by July 30, 2001.
Grants will be revied and announced on September 1, 2001. Successful applicants should be able to begin working on the project as soon as grant is received. The project is expected to last one year.
Selection
Criteria:
scope, clarity and feasibility of your project plans, your current
capacity, and your ability to secure ongoing support for your
project.
Maximum size of award: $20,000.
Eligibility
Criteria
Applications will be accepted ONLY from organizations that currently administer a national public health information server in a Central or Eastern European country. Applications from individuals will not be accepted. Applications from organizations not currently running a national public health information server will not be accepted.
Applicants must demonstrate success at creating, marketing and managing national health information servers. Applicants must demonstrate solid technical and managerial expertise.
Funding will not be provided for the creation of new national public health information servers. Grants will support site development/maintenance, information procurement and posting, necessary hardware/software upgrades and training for existing national public health servers only.
Important Notes:
Résumés for all persons involved in your proposed project must accompany your completed application.
Grant applications may be completed in English.
Every effort should be made to ensure that those who speak the national language(s) of your country are served by your site. English is encouraged, but optional.
Please note that as the primary focus of the program is on site content, technology improvements are not likely to be the cornerstone of your application. We understand, however, that new technologies must sometimes be procured to support new content initiatives or improve services. The support technology, which must also be included in your proposed budget, will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Special consideration will be given to those applicants who have identified funding sources in addition to this OSI grant for their project.
Do not send materials other than those specifically requested in the application guidelines.
Please retain copies of all materials submitted for review, as they will not be returned.
Materials sent under separate cover will not be accepted.
No faxed applications will be accepted.
No incomplete applications will be reviewed
Site visits may be conducted as needed
We will not provide individual critiques of applications that have been turned down.
Grant funds may not be used for language translation of information.
Part 1. Contact information
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Name of organization
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Street address
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City
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Postal code
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Country
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Phone number
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Fax number
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E-mail address
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Contact person
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Title of contact person
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Telephone number of contact person
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Total budget
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Total requested from OSI
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Part 2. Current Capacity Information
For the following, please type responses in single-space lines in the space provided below or in double-space lines on blank paper and attach to this application.
What is the URL of the health information web site you are seeking funding to improve?
Please provide a short history and description of your site, and describe for whom/what the site was designed.
Please list up to three other URLs, if any, which best demonstrate your organization’s ability to design and market information campaign web sites.
Please briefly describe your organization’s current technology and technology support systems, including
Type of machine(s) and their specifications
Internet line setup and speed
Number and brief background of persons providing technical development and support for server.
How would new technologies included in your proposed project plans intersect with your site improvement goals?
Please
list any other grants you may have received for developing your
health data server. Please include date, grant amount and from whom
the grant was received.
What marketing/publicity efforts are in place for your current health data/information server?
How
would you characterize your institution?
Institute of Health
School of Public Health
Ministry of Health
Other (please specify:_________________________________)
Part 3. Letter of interest
Please attach a letter of interest that responds to the following questions. Please limit your response to 3 pages.
What
is the mission of your institution? How will participation in
project advance that mission?
Why
is your institution well suited to participate?
What
are the main objectives and activities of your project?
How will they benefit your audience? Who is your audience?
How would your institution ensure the sustainability of the ongoing development of the health data server(s) beyond the conclusion of this project? We are interested in understanding how your institution might approach:
Securing additional/ongoing funding
Expanding the role and scope of the health data server
Maintaining the accuracy and currency of site content
What
will the outcomes of your improvement project be? How will your
site be improved?
By
what indicators would your institution evaluate this project?
How
do you plan to publicize and promote your project?
Please include a timeline for your project.
Part 4. Budget
Please detail below the budget for your project. Please only fill in sections that apply to your project. You should list all expenses related to the project and present them in the appropriate column. Please show exactly how much is needed for each item from Open Society/Soros Foundations and how much is provided for from other sources. Please attach separate sheet if additional space is needed. Please note while completing your budget OSI looks favorably on projects that secure co-funding from sources other than OSI.
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BUDGET ITEM |
Funding from other sources |
Funding Requested from Open Society Institute |
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1. Project Costs (list items separately) |
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sub-total: |
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2. Technology Costs (software, upgrade costs)
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3. Staff Costs |
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sub-total: |
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4. Marketing Costs |
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sub-total: |
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5. Other (describe): |
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sub-total: |
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GRAND TOTAL: |
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