USAID Integrated Health Systems Strengthening Activity – Democratic Republic of the Congo

The USAID Integrated Health Systems Strengthening Activity for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a transformative funding opportunity designed to overhaul the country's fragile health infrastructure. With the DRC experiencing recurrent health emergencies—including Ebola outbreaks, measles epidemics, and a high burden of malaria—this grant aims to create a resilient system capable of delivering quality care to all citizens. The activity prioritizes strengthening governance at central and provincial levels, improving financial management to increase domestic health funding, and enhancing supply chains to ensure essential medicines reach remote areas. It also focuses on workforce development, training health workers in clinical and management skills. The grant's holistic approach aligns with the U.S. Global Health Security Strategy and Sustainable Development Goal 3. For GSLI, this opportunity offers a platform to deploy its capacity-building expertise, particularly through courses in WASH, Public Health & Epidemiology, and Project Management for Development. The deadline of July 20, 2026, necessitates immediate action to assemble a consortium, conduct assessments, and design a responsive proposal. The total estimated funding is up to $50 million over five years, with awards expected to be cooperative agreements requiring active USAID involvement. This overview underscores the urgency and significance of this opportunity for organizations committed to global health impact.

Strategic Overview

Who is it For?

This grant is open to a wide array of organizations, including international NGOs, local DRC-based organizations, universities, research institutions, and private sector entities. Eligibility is determined by the applicant's capacity to implement complex health system strengthening activities across multiple provinces in the DRC. USAID encourages partnerships with local organizations to ensure sustainability and community ownership. Applicants must demonstrate experience in health systems, particularly in conflict-affected or fragile states, and must have an established presence or ability to operate in the DRC. For DRC-based organizations, a minimum of five years of operational experience in the country is preferred. International applicants should provide evidence of successful projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, preferably in the Great Lakes region. All applicants must have sound financial management systems, with audited financial statements for the past three years. Organizations with a global annual budget exceeding $50 million are given preference, though smaller specialized organizations can apply as consortium leads. The activity requires multi-sectoral expertise, so consortia combining health, finance, and logistics partners are highly recommended. GSLI's courses in Project Management for Development and Financial Management for NGOs can help applicants strengthen their institutional capacity to meet these stringent requirements.

Priorities

USAID's global health priorities under this activity focus on achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and strengthening global health security. In the DRC, specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) include reducing maternal mortality by 20%, increasing contraceptive prevalence rate by 15%, and ensuring 80% of health facilities have essential medicines and supplies. Other priorities include improving data quality for decision-making, increasing domestic health financing, and enhancing community health worker performance. The donor emphasizes sustainability, requiring that at least 30% of health service costs be covered by domestic sources by the end of the project. Additionally, cross-cutting themes such as gender equality, youth engagement, and climate-resilient health systems are integral. USAID expects applicants to integrate these themes into all activities, with measurable indicators. For example, at least 50% of leadership positions in project governance should be held by women. The activity also prioritizes innovation in digital health, including telemedicine and electronic health records, to reach remote populations. GSLI's course on Monitoring & Evaluation provides the tools to design robust indicator frameworks that track these KPIs, while the course on Public Health & Epidemiology equips professionals to tackle disease surveillance and outbreak response—a key priority given the DRC's history of epidemics.

Eligibility

Comprehensive eligibility requires a multi-layered audit of an organization's financial, spatial, and legal standing. Financially, organizations must submit audited financial statements for the past three years, demonstrating a consistent ability to manage large grants (preferably over $5 million annually). The audit must show no material weaknesses in internal controls. For-profit entities must provide tax returns and proof of registration in the DRC or a partner country. Legally, all applicants must be registered as a legal entity in their country of operation and have a valid DUNS number and SAM.gov registration. They must also comply with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and have no history of sanctions or debarment. Spatially, the applicant must demonstrate operational presence in at least two of the target provinces (e.g., Kinshasa, Kivu, Kasai). This can be through field offices, partnerships, or a proven ability to deploy teams rapidly. Letters of commitment from local partners must be submitted. Additionally, organizations must have a security protocol for operating in high-risk areas. GSLI's courses on Procurement & Supply Chain and Grants Management can help applicants develop the systems needed to pass these audits, ensuring accurate procurement tracking and compliance with USAID's stringent reporting requirements.

Path to Success

Success in securing and implementing the USAID Integrated Health Systems Strengthening Activity requires a strategic, phased approach. Step 1: Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of the DRC's health system gaps, aligning with USAID's priorities. GSLI's course on Public Health & Epidemiology can train your team to analyze epidemiological data effectively, identifying high-priority intervention zones. Step 2: Build a strong consortium with local and international partners. The consortium should include a local NGO for community engagement, a university for data analytics, and a logistics company for supply chain management. GSLI's course on Writing Winning Proposals can guide the consortium in articulating a cohesive vision, while the course on Fundraising & Resource Mobilization helps in leveraging co-financing. Step 3: Develop a robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plan. Use GSLI's course on Monitoring & Evaluation to design indicators that track USAID's KPIs, such as health worker density and vaccine coverage. This plan should include a baseline study and quarterly data reviews. Step 4: Establish a financial management system compliant with 2 CFR 200. GSLI's Financial Management for NGOs course covers essential topics like budget tracking, allowable costs, and audit readiness. Finally, invest in staff training: GSLI's short courses can be delivered as pre-award capacity building, demonstrating your commitment to workforce development. By integrating GSLI training at each step, your proposal will showcase institutional readiness and alignment with USAID's emphasis on sustainability and local capacity building.

Recommended GSLI Courses

Public Health & Epidemiology
Financial Management for NGOs
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)

Deadline: 2026-07-20

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal