UNICEF Global WASH Capacity Strengthening Partnership 2026-2030: Institutional and Technical Support for National Governments and NGOs

The UNICEF Global WASH Capacity Strengthening Partnership 2026-2030 is a multi-year framework designed to support national governments and local NGOs in building sustainable WASH systems. With an estimated total budget of $50-100 million, this initiative seeks to address critical gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure and services. The partnership calls for a comprehensive approach that includes policy development, technical training, infrastructure management, and behavior change. Donors prioritize interventions that are climate-resilient, gender-sensitive, and data-driven. The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2026, making this a high-urgency opportunity. Organizations must demonstrate strong financial management, a proven track record in WASH, and partnerships with local stakeholders. This dossier provides an exhaustive analysis of the call, including eligibility criteria, strategic priorities, implementation phases, risk mitigation strategies, and actionable steps to maximize your chances of success. GSLI's short courses are integrated throughout to help you build the requisite capacities. This partnership represents a significant shift in how UNICEF approaches WASH funding, moving from project-based grants to long-term institutional strengthening. Successful applicants will be expected to work closely with national governments to embed capacities within public systems, ensuring sustainability beyond the project lifespan. The donor emphasizes co-financing, requiring that at least 20% of total costs come from non-UNICEF sources, which may include government contributions, other donor funds, or in-kind support. This requirement underscores the need for robust fundraising and resource mobilization strategies. GSLI's 'Fundraising & Resource Mobilization' course can equip your team with the skills to secure co-financing commitments. Another critical aspect of this partnership is its focus on fragile and conflict-affected states. Insecurity, climate shocks, and weak governance often undermine WASH services in these contexts. UNICEF expects applicants to have experience delivering in these environments, including adaptive management and conflict sensitivity. The partnership will require rapid response mechanisms and robust fiduciary controls to manage risks. Organizations must be prepared to operate in challenging conditions, with strong local partnerships and competent staff. GSLI's 'Project Management for Development' course includes modules on managing projects in fragile states, which can be vital for this call.

Strategic Overview

The UNICEF Global WASH Capacity Strengthening Partnership 2026-2030 is a multi-year framework designed to support national governments and local NGOs in building sustainable WASH systems. With an estimated total budget of $50-100 million, this initiative seeks to address critical gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure and services. The partnership calls for a comprehensive approach that includes policy development, technical training, infrastructure management, and behavior change. Donors prioritize interventions that are climate-resilient, gender-sensitive, and data-driven. The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2026, making this a high-urgency opportunity. Organizations must demonstrate strong financial management, a proven track record in WASH, and partnerships with local stakeholders. This dossier provides an exhaustive analysis of the call, including eligibility criteria, strategic priorities, implementation phases, risk mitigation strategies, and actionable steps to maximize your chances of success. GSLI's short courses are integrated throughout to help you build the requisite capacities. This partnership represents a significant shift in how UNICEF approaches WASH funding, moving from project-based grants to long-term institutional strengthening. Successful applicants will be expected to work closely with national governments to embed capacities within public systems, ensuring sustainability beyond the project lifespan. The donor emphasizes co-financing, requiring that at least 20% of total costs come from non-UNICEF sources, which may include government contributions, other donor funds, or in-kind support. This requirement underscores the need for robust fundraising and resource mobilization strategies. GSLI's 'Fundraising & Resource Mobilization' course can equip your team with the skills to secure co-financing commitments. Another critical aspect of this partnership is its focus on fragile and conflict-affected states. Insecurity, climate shocks, and weak governance often undermine WASH services in these contexts. UNICEF expects applicants to have experience delivering in these environments, including adaptive management and conflict sensitivity. The partnership will require rapid response mechanisms and robust fiduciary controls to manage risks. Organizations must be prepared to operate in challenging conditions, with strong local partnerships and competent staff. GSLI's 'Project Management for Development' course includes modules on managing projects in fragile states, which can be vital for this call.

Who is it For?

This partnership is designed for international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), research institutions, and private sector firms with demonstrated expertise in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) capacity strengthening. Eligibility requires the applicant to have a minimum of eight years of experience in institutional development and technical assistance for WASH service delivery, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. The organization must have a proven track record of working with national governments to develop policies, strategies, and regulatory frameworks for rural and urban WASH. Additionally, the applicant should have experience in training local government staff and civil society organizations on financial management, procurement, and infrastructure maintenance. Previous partnerships with UNICEF or other UN agencies are highly valued but not mandatory. The partnership targets organizations that can deliver at scale across multiple countries, with a minimum annual WASH project portfolio of $5 million. The applicant must have established offices in at least three UNICEF program countries and be able to deploy technical experts rapidly. Consortia are encouraged, but one organization must serve as the lead applicant responsible for overall coordination and reporting. The lead entity must have a robust financial management system audited by an independent firm for the last three years. Furthermore, the organization must demonstrate gender mainstreaming in its workforce and programs, with at least 40% female staff in senior positions. Local partnerships with women-led and youth-led organizations are strongly preferred to ensure culturally appropriate interventions.

Priorities

UNICEF's Global WASH Capacity Strengthening Partnership 2026-2030 focuses on five strategic priorities: (1) Strengthening WASH governance and accountability mechanisms at national and sub-national levels, including the development of sector financing strategies and fiduciary risk management. (2) Enhancing technical capacities for climate-resilient WASH services, such as integrated water resource management (IWRM) and solar-powered water supply systems. (3) Scaling up inclusive WASH in public institutions, especially in schools and healthcare facilities, with a strong emphasis on menstrual hygiene management and disability-inclusive designs. (4) Promoting market-based sanitation and hygiene behavior change through social marketing and smart subsidies. (5) Institutionalizing digital monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems to track progress against SDG 6 targets. The donor expects all interventions to address gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) as cross-cutting themes, with at least 30% of program budgets allocated to GESI-specific activities. Key performance indicators (KPIs) include: 20 million people gaining access to safely managed water services; 15 million to sanitation; 50,000 institutions (schools/health centers) reaching basic WASH standards; and a 25% increase in national WASH budgets allocated to operation and maintenance. The partnership also prioritizes emergency preparedness: 60% of the budget must be dedicated to building resilience in fragile and conflict-affected states. Donors require innovation in financing models, such as blended finance and results-based financing, with at least 15% of funding channeled through local private sector actors. Finally, the partnership expects knowledge management outputs, including at least 12 peer-reviewed publications and a global community of practice.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be legally registered entities with a focus on international development, including NGOs, universities, and private firms, with no political or religious affiliations that could conflict with UNICEF's mandate. Financial eligibility requires a minimum annual turnover of $5 million in the last three fiscal years, and audited financial statements must be submitted. The organization must have a proven ability to manage multi-country grants with budgets up to $10 million per year. Spatial eligibility includes operational presence in at least three of the following regions: sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East and North Africa, or Latin America. For each country, the applicant must have a registered office and experience in national-level policy advocacy. Corporate legal compliance includes a clean record of no fraud, corruption, or terrorism financing within the last ten years; organizations must sign UNICEF's anti-fraud declaration. Additionally, the applicant must have a whistleblower policy and a child safeguarding policy compliant with UN standards. Technical eligibility requires at least five senior experts with 10+ years of experience in WASH system strengthening and a roster of at least 20 subject matter experts in engineering, public health, social behavior change, and finance. The applicant must present at least three case studies of similar capacity partnership projects. For the consortium option, each member must meet the above criteria independently, and the consortium agreement must be submitted with clear roles, responsibilities, and a shared management structure. Finally, the applicant must commit to co-financing at least 20% of the total project cost from non-UNICEF sources, which may include in-kind contributions from government or other donors.

Path to Success

Step 1: Immediate Compliance & Gap Assessment (Days 1-14). Conduct a thorough audit of your organization's financial management, procurement systems, and safeguarding policies against UNICEF's requirements. Identify gaps in audited financial statements, anti-fraud measures, and gender policies. Enroll key staff in GSLI's 'Financial Management for NGOs' and 'Procurement & Supply Chain' courses to address deficiencies and strengthen capacity. Step 2: Consortium Assembly & Partnership Mapping (Days 15-30). Identify and formalize partnerships with local NGOs, government agencies, and research institutions in target countries. Ensure each partner has a strong WASH portfolio and aligns with GSLI's emphasis on cross-sectoral collaboration. Draft a consortium agreement with clear roles, risk-sharing mechanisms, and co-financing commitments. Use GSLI's 'Writing Winning Proposals' course to refine your consortium narrative. Step 3: Technical Proposal Development (Days 31-60). Design a multi-year approach addressing UNICEF's five priorities: governance, climate resilience, institutional WASH, market-based sanitation, and digital MEL. Include a detailed M&E framework with baseline indicators, using GSLI 'Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)' course. Integrate cross-cutting gender and inclusion plans. Develop a financial plan showing at least 20% co-financing. Step 4: Risk Mitigation & Capacity Building (Ongoing). Establish a risk matrix covering fiduciary, operational, and reputational risks. Train staff in UNICEF's anti-fraud policies and 'Project Management for Development' (GSLI course) to ensure agile implementation. Plan for ongoing learning through GSLI's 'Grants Management' course. Step 5: Submission & Follow-Up (Days 61-90). Submit proposal via UNICEF procurement portal. Prepare for interviews and presentations. Leverage GSLI 'Fundraising & Resource Mobilization' to sustain the partnership beyond UNICEF funding. Post-submission, debrief and refine capacity using GSLI's 'WASH' and 'Public Health & Epidemiology' courses for future opportunities.

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Deadline: 2026-07-31

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal