UNICEF Global Grant: Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Child Health and WASH Programs

The UNICEF Global Grant titled 'Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Child Health and WASH Programs' is a catalytic opportunity for organizations committed to ending preventable child deaths and ensuring universal access to safe water and sanitation. With a deadline of September 1, 2026, this grant is designed to address critical gaps in data collection, analysis, and use within child health and WASH initiatives. At its core, the grant seeks to build robust M&E systems that not only track progress but also inform adaptive management and policy decisions. The funding, anticipated to be between $500,000 and $2,000,000 per award, is directed at projects lasting 36 to 48 months. The call is global in scope but prioritizes low- and middle-income countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where under-five mortality rates remain high and WASH coverage is inadequate. The grant's strategic importance cannot be overstated. UNICEF's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights data and evidence as key enablers for achieving results for children. However, many partners lack the technical capacity to design and implement effective M&E systems. This grant directly addresses that by funding activities such as: training of M&E staff, procurement of digital data collection tools, development of data dashboards, and strengthening of national health information systems. The grant also emphasizes the integration of gender equality and disability inclusion into M&E frameworks, requiring applicants to use disaggregated data and participatory methods. Successful applicants will demonstrate a clear understanding of UNICEF's operational context and a commitment to harmonizing their M&E approaches with national systems. The grant supports both development and humanitarian settings, with a particular focus on fragile and conflict-affected states. The moderate urgency allows for thorough preparation, but early engagement is crucial to align with UNICEF's country program cycles and to build strong consortia. The call is highly competitive, but organizations that invest in pre-application capacity building through specialized training, such as that offered by GSLI, will have a distinct advantage. Overall, this grant represents a significant opportunity to leave a lasting impact on child survival and well-being.

Strategic Overview

The UNICEF Global Grant titled 'Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Child Health and WASH Programs' is a catalytic opportunity for organizations committed to ending preventable child deaths and ensuring universal access to safe water and sanitation. With a deadline of September 1, 2026, this grant is designed to address critical gaps in data collection, analysis, and use within child health and WASH initiatives. At its core, the grant seeks to build robust M&E systems that not only track progress but also inform adaptive management and policy decisions. The funding, anticipated to be between $500,000 and $2,000,000 per award, is directed at projects lasting 36 to 48 months. The call is global in scope but prioritizes low- and middle-income countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where under-five mortality rates remain high and WASH coverage is inadequate. The grant's strategic importance cannot be overstated. UNICEF's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights data and evidence as key enablers for achieving results for children. However, many partners lack the technical capacity to design and implement effective M&E systems. This grant directly addresses that by funding activities such as: training of M&E staff, procurement of digital data collection tools, development of data dashboards, and strengthening of national health information systems. The grant also emphasizes the integration of gender equality and disability inclusion into M&E frameworks, requiring applicants to use disaggregated data and participatory methods. Successful applicants will demonstrate a clear understanding of UNICEF's operational context and a commitment to harmonizing their M&E approaches with national systems. The grant supports both development and humanitarian settings, with a particular focus on fragile and conflict-affected states. The moderate urgency allows for thorough preparation, but early engagement is crucial to align with UNICEF's country program cycles and to build strong consortia. The call is highly competitive, but organizations that invest in pre-application capacity building through specialized training, such as that offered by GSLI, will have a distinct advantage. Overall, this grant represents a significant opportunity to leave a lasting impact on child survival and well-being.

Who is it For?

This grant is designed for a broad spectrum of actors deeply embedded in child health and WASH service delivery. Eligible applicants include international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) with a global or regional footprint, national and local civil society organizations (CSOs) with proven community engagement, academic and research institutions with expertise in public health epidemiology and water quality testing, and government agencies (including ministries of health and water) operating in low- and middle-income countries. Special consideration may be given to organizations with demonstrated experience in humanitarian settings, especially those working in UNICEF's priority countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Bangladesh (Cox's Bazar). Consortia applications are strongly encouraged, particularly those that combine a lead agency with strong financial management capacity and local partners with deep contextual knowledge. Specific eligibility criteria include: legal registration in the country of implementation, at least three years of audited financial statements (for organizations with annual budgets above $500,000), a clear anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering compliance policy, and no history of sanctions or debarment. Additionally, the applicant must have a dedicated M&E unit with at least two full-time staff holding advanced degrees in social sciences, statistics, or related fields. The proposal must demonstrate how the organization's M&E system will strengthen UNICEF's national-level data collection, analysis, and use for policy advocacy. Preference will be given to entities that can match at least 10% of the grant amount through in-kind contributions (e.g., staff time, office space, or existing data infrastructure).

Priorities

UNICEF's investment priorities for this grant are laser-focused on three interconnected pillars: (1) strengthening national and sub-national M&E systems for child health and WASH, (2) enhancing data quality, timeliness, and use for adaptive program management, and (3) fostering innovation in monitoring technologies and community feedback loops. At the global level, UNICEF is committed to the 'Every Child ALIVE' initiative, which aims to end preventable child deaths, and the 'WASH in Healthcare Facilities' agenda. Key performance indicators (KPIs) that proposals must address include: the percentage of health facilities with functional WASH services (target: increase by 30% in project areas), the reduction in under-five mortality due to diarrhea (target: 20% reduction over five years), and the number of children under five with access to basic drinking water services (target: reach 2 million children). The donor expects rigorous baseline and endline surveys, mid-term evaluations, and real-time data dashboards. Priority geographies are sub-Saharan Africa (particularly the Sahel and East Africa regions) and South Asia (especially India, Pakistan, and Nepal). Cross-cutting priorities include gender equality, disability inclusion, and climate resilience. The call emphasizes the use of mobile technology for data collection (e.g., using ODK or CommCare), integration with District Health Information Systems (DHIS2), and capacity building for government statisticians. Additionally, UNICEF is interested in innovative approaches such as the use of satellite imagery for water point mapping, AI for disease outbreak prediction, and blockchain for supply chain transparency in WASH. The grant also prioritizes proposals that incorporate sustainability plans, showing how M&E gains will be institutionalized beyond the grant period.

Eligibility

Eligibility for this grant requires meticulous compliance with UNICEF's financial, spatial, and corporate legal audits. Financially, applicants must provide audited financial statements for the past three fiscal years, showing no qualified opinions and a stable revenue stream. For organizations with annual budgets exceeding $1 million, a separate audit of indirect cost rates (IDCR) is required. The grant has a minimum co-financing requirement of 10% (either cash or in-kind), and the applicant must have a proven track record of managing grants of similar magnitude ($500k-$2M) from bilateral or multilateral donors. Spatially, the project must be implemented in a country where UNICEF has a presence and where the applicant is legally registered. Specific spatial restrictions may apply: grants cannot be used in countries under UN sanctions (e.g., North Korea, Iran) or in areas with active armed conflict without a security clearance from UNICEF. Corporate legal audits require the submission of: (a) certificate of incorporation, (b) board resolution authorizing the application, (c) organizational chart with M&E roles, (d) conflict of interest policy, (e) whistleblower protection policy, and (f) data privacy policy compliant with GDPR or local equivalent. Additionally, the applicant must undergo a due diligence check through UNICEF's Partner Information Management System (PIMS). Any past performance issues, such as audit findings of fraud or mismanagement, may disqualify the application. For academic institutions, additional scrutiny applies regarding indirect cost rates (capped at 15% of direct costs). Finally, the applicant must commit to gender parity in staffing and include at least one woman in the senior management team. Failure to adhere to any of these requirements will result in automatic disqualification.

Path to Success

To secure this transformative UNICEF grant, organizations must follow a strategic roadmap that integrates GSLI’s specialized training. Step 1 – Pre-Readiness Assessment (Months 1-2): Conduct an internal gap analysis against UNICEF’s M&E standards using tools such as the M&E System Strengthening Tool (MESST). Enroll GSLI’s 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' course to ensure your team masters results frameworks, indicator selection, and data quality assurance. Simultaneously, take the 'WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene)' course to align your technical vocabulary with UNICEF’s terminology (e.g., JMP service ladders, CLTS). Step 2 – Strategic Consortium Building (Months 3-4): Identify local partners with community trust and sign pre-agreements that outline roles, M&E responsibilities, and data sharing protocols. GSLI’s 'Project Management for Development' course provides tools for consortium governance, Gantt charts, and risk registers. Additionally, the 'Writing Winning Proposals' course will help craft the narrative that emphasizes how your consortium’s M&E system will produce actionable insights for UNICEF. Step 3 – Technical Design & Budgeting (Months 5-6): Develop a detailed M&E framework with 10-15 standard indicators, a data collection plan using mobile tools, and a data flow diagram from community to national level. Include a budget line for M&E capacity building of government staff—a key donor preference. GSLI’s 'Financial Management for NGOs' course will help you prepare a compliant budget (with 7-10% M&E allocation) and cost narratives. Also, take 'Grants Management' to understand UNICEF’s financial reporting requirements (e.g., quarterly expenditure reports, procurement thresholds). Step 4 – Submission & Follow-Up (Months 7-8): Submit via UNICEF’s online portal with all supporting documents. After submission, schedule a debrief with GSLI’s 'Fundraising & Resource Mobilization' course instructor to refine your approach for potential re-submission or supplementary questions. Post-award, the 'Procurement & Supply Chain' course ensures your procurement of tablets and survey software meets UNICEF’s value-for-money criteria. This integrated path maximizes alignment with donor expectations and significantly boosts your probability of funding.

Recommended GSLI Courses

Deadline: 2026-09-01

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal