World Bank RFP: Institutional Capacity Building for Climate-Resilient WASH Service Delivery in Fragile States

The World Bank has launched a strategic RFP specifically targeting institutional capacity building for climate-resilient WASH service delivery in fragile states. This call is part of the Bank’s FCV Strategy, which underscores that fragile and conflict-affected states are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet possess the weakest institutional capacity to respond. The RFP aims to shift the paradigm from short-term humanitarian WASH interventions to sustainable, locally-led systems that can anticipate and adapt to climate shocks. The geographic focus includes Sub-Saharan Africa (Sahel, Horn of Africa, Great Lakes), the Middle East (Yemen, Iraq), and South Asia (Afghanistan). The Bank expects proposals to demonstrate a deep understanding of the political economy, conflict dynamics, and cultural contexts of these regions. The RFP is structured around four technical components: (1) Institutional and Policy Strengthening – revising national policies, regulations, and standards to embed climate resilience; (2) Capacity Building and Training – delivering tailored curricula to government officials, utility managers, and community leaders; (3) Knowledge Management and Learning – documenting best practices and facilitating South-South exchanges; (4) Pilot Implementation – supporting small-scale climate-resilient WASH projects that serve as demonstration models. The total estimated funding envelope is $50-80 million, with individual grants ranging from $5 to $15 million over 3-5 years. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a track record in WASH in fragile contexts, and consortia are encouraged. The deadline, August 15, 2026, is approximately 18 months from now, allowing ample time for consortium building and proposal development. However, the urgency level is categorized as HIGH due to the need to respond to accelerating climate impacts and ongoing humanitarian crises. Early engagement with World Bank task team leaders and local stakeholders is critical. GSLI’s courses can help organizations strengthen their proposal writing, financial management, and technical expertise to win this grant and implement effective programs.

Strategic Overview

The World Bank has launched a strategic RFP specifically targeting institutional capacity building for climate-resilient WASH service delivery in fragile states. This call is part of the Bank’s FCV Strategy, which underscores that fragile and conflict-affected states are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet possess the weakest institutional capacity to respond. The RFP aims to shift the paradigm from short-term humanitarian WASH interventions to sustainable, locally-led systems that can anticipate and adapt to climate shocks. The geographic focus includes Sub-Saharan Africa (Sahel, Horn of Africa, Great Lakes), the Middle East (Yemen, Iraq), and South Asia (Afghanistan). The Bank expects proposals to demonstrate a deep understanding of the political economy, conflict dynamics, and cultural contexts of these regions. The RFP is structured around four technical components: (1) Institutional and Policy Strengthening – revising national policies, regulations, and standards to embed climate resilience; (2) Capacity Building and Training – delivering tailored curricula to government officials, utility managers, and community leaders; (3) Knowledge Management and Learning – documenting best practices and facilitating South-South exchanges; (4) Pilot Implementation – supporting small-scale climate-resilient WASH projects that serve as demonstration models. The total estimated funding envelope is $50-80 million, with individual grants ranging from $5 to $15 million over 3-5 years. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a track record in WASH in fragile contexts, and consortia are encouraged. The deadline, August 15, 2026, is approximately 18 months from now, allowing ample time for consortium building and proposal development. However, the urgency level is categorized as HIGH due to the need to respond to accelerating climate impacts and ongoing humanitarian crises. Early engagement with World Bank task team leaders and local stakeholders is critical. GSLI’s courses can help organizations strengthen their proposal writing, financial management, and technical expertise to win this grant and implement effective programs.

Who is it For?

This opportunity is designed for international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), local civil society organizations (CSOs), research institutions, private sector consulting firms, and multilateral agencies with demonstrated expertise in WASH service delivery and institutional capacity building in fragile, conflict-affected, and climate-vulnerable settings. Eligible consortia must include at least one partner with operational presence in the target fragile state(s). Specifically, the World Bank expects applicants to have: (1) a minimum of 10 years of experience in WASH programming in low-income countries, with at least 5 years in FCV contexts; (2) proven ability to work with government ministries (e.g., Ministry of Water, Ministry of Health) and local utility companies; (3) expertise in climate adaptation planning, including hydrogeological risk assessments and nature-based solutions; (4) strong financial management systems that comply with World Bank fiduciary standards; and (5) capacity to deliver training in multiple languages (Arabic, French, English) across diverse cultural contexts. Organizations with specialized units for gender, social inclusion, and conflict sensitivity are preferred. Additionally, the Bank encourages applications from organizations with annual budgets exceeding $10 million and prior experience managing World Bank trust funds or similar multi-donor grants. Local partners from fragile states are strongly recommended to ensure contextual relevance and legitimacy.

Priorities

The World Bank’s global investment priorities for this RFP are deeply aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions). The donor emphasizes three key KPIs: (1) Institutional Resilience Index: measured by the percentage of target institutions that integrate climate risk into WASH planning and budgeting within 12 months of training; (2) Service Continuity: reduction in service disruption days during climate-related emergencies by 30% over the project duration; (3) Financial Sustainability: increase in local budget allocation for WASH operations and maintenance by at least 20%. Beyond these, the World Bank prioritizes cross-cutting themes of gender equality (ensuring women’s participation in decision-making), conflict sensitivity (do-no-harm approaches), and innovation in low-cost, climate-resilient technologies. The Bank is also focused on scalability and replicability: successful models should be transferable across other fragile states. Additionally, the RFP encourages use of digital tools for remote capacity building in insecure areas. Strategic proposals should highlight alignment with the Bank’s Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs) and the FCV Strategy (2020-2025). The donor expects consortiums to contribute co-financing or in-kind contributions demonstrating commitment.

Eligibility

Eligibility requires a comprehensive compliance audit across financial, spatial, and corporate legal domains. Financially, applicants must submit audited financial statements for the past three years, demonstrating a minimum annual budget of $5 million for the lead applicant and $2 million for co-applicants. The organization must have a proven track record of managing at least two World Bank-funded projects of similar scale ($2 million+) without major audit findings. Spatially, the lead applicant must have a physical office or registered presence in at least one fragile state within the target region (e.g., Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East). Partner organizations must have documented experience in at least two fragile states. Legally, applicants must be registered as a non-profit or for-profit entity with valid tax registration and proof of good standing from the home country. For international organizations, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a local entity is mandatory. The World Bank prohibits entities on its debarment list; all consortium members must undergo a negative news check. Additionally, the organization must have a clear policy on anti-terrorism, anti-money laundering, and whistleblower protection. Conflict of interest disclosures are required, especially if any board member holds a public office in the target country. The RFP also requires a minimum of two referees from prior donors.

Path to Success

To secure this grant, follow a strategic roadmap integrating GSLI capacity building: Step 1: Consortium Formation & Context Analysis (Month 1-2) – Identify and engage with local partners in target fragile states (e.g., ministries, NGOs). Conduct a rapid institutional capacity assessment using GSLI’s WASH and Project Management frameworks. Enroll key staff in GSLI’s 'Writing Winning Proposals' and 'Financial Management for NGOs' courses to align with World Bank fiduciary standards. Step 2: Proposal Co-Design (Month 2-4) – Jointly develop a theory of change linking climate resilience to institutional strengthening. Use GSLI’s M&E course to design robust indicators and a learning agenda. Budget preparation should leverage GSLI’s 'Grants Management' course for cost realism. Step 3: Technical Approach Detailing (Month 4-6) – Outline phased training modules for target institutions, drawing on GSLI’s 'WASH' and 'Public Health' courses to ensure evidence-based content. Integrate climate risk screening tools, conflict sensitivity checklists, and gender action plans. Step 4: Compliance & Risk Management (Month 6-7) – Prepare all mandatory annexes (CVs, audit reports, MoUs) and undergo a pre-submission review using GSLI’s proposal checklist from the 'Writing Winning Proposals' course. Submit before the deadline. Post-award, immediate action includes enrolling a core team in GSLI’s 'Procurement & Supply Chain' course to ensure compliance with World Bank procurement guidelines. Continuously document lessons learned via GSLI’s M&E framework to strengthen case studies.

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Deadline: 2026-08-15

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal