Expression of interest: Humanitarian Health and Climate Collaborative – Ethiopia Anchor Institution

Call description

This is Elrha’s competitive expression of interest for an Ethiopia anchor institution, not a general project-grant call. The supplied opportunity page states that the call is closed; this status should govern the immediate application decision unless Elrha confirms otherwise. The collaborative is to focus on 1–2 climate hazards, informed by a participatory national study rather than a predetermined list. Examples include drought impacts on nutrition and flooding-related waterborne disease. The anchor is expected to map existing initiatives and evidence gaps, connect meteorological information to health contingency planning, and co-design the later programme with the Steering Group and Elrha. Eligible lead institutions include Ethiopian higher education and academic research institutions, autonomous national research institutes or statutory technical public health bodies, national non-governmental organisations and established operational health networks, and international non-governmental organisations meeting the stated national-entity conditions. The general route is legal registration and operation in Ethiopia, or a substantial, verified operational presence; national non-governmental organisations and health networks must be legally registered and operating in Ethiopia. International non-governmental organisations need an established, permanent national entity and the specified locally led track record.

The programme is intended to run from January 2027 to October 2031, subject to funding confirmation. The call describes a five-year initiative, with initial establishment and priority setting followed by a research, innovation and learning portfolio. The total programme envelope is up to £2.4 million, not an amount allocated to the anchor institution. Approximately 80% is intended for research, innovation and implementation grants through the platform. A start-up grant is available, while the anchor’s operational budget for subsequent years will be negotiated during the full application and contracting process. Final funding decisions depend on Elrha receiving the full funding allocation.

Priorities and eligibility

At the expression-of-interest stage, Elrha seeks one institution rather than a joint or consortium submission. Applicants may describe existing partnerships; Elrha may invite organisations to form a consortium at the full-application stage depending on the selection outcome.

Eligibility screening covers presence in Ethiopia, basic governance and administrative systems, audited financial management systems, and complete documentation before the deadline. Expressions of interest that do not satisfy basic legal registration requirements or lack required institutional documentation will not be considered.

Elrha’s Research and Innovation team leads the technical review. Scored criteria cover neutral convening, strategic alignment, relevant technical and evidence-translation experience, financial management and grant-making potential, localisation and ethics, and safeguarding and risk management. Regional networks are desirable; the supplied passages do not establish scores or weights.

Funding and application requirements

The stated submission route is email to hhcc@elrha.org, using the specified expression-of-interest subject line. The supplied passages do not establish an alternative submission channel. Clarification questions are directed to the same address under a separate subject line, with a stated deadline of 11 November 2026.

The opportunity page says the call is closed, although the published submission deadline is 20 November 2026. Was the call closed early, or is the page status an error? Early closure is permitted in specified circumstances, but the supplied evidence does not establish why the page shows this status. Confirm the current status with Elrha before preparing or sending an application.

What are the complete required declarations and annexes, accepted file formats and application language? The extracted form requires all sections and a registration certificate, but the supplied coverage does not show the contents of the declarations and required-annexes section or establish file-format and language rules. Check the complete original call and seek clarification rather than assume an exhaustive list.

Elrha retains direct grant-making and financial accountability for foundational activities in Year 1. The anchor is expected to assume devolved grant-making and sub-granting from Year 2 onwards, subject to institutional due diligence and systems readiness; Elrha retains fiduciary oversight. The scored criterion for a pathway and capacity to assume this role is labelled desirable.

The stated expression-of-interest deadline is 20 November 2026. Elrha reserves the right to change the timetable or close the call early if application volume is exceptionally high. The opportunity page nevertheless states that the call is closed.

The supplied timetable needs reconciliation: the PDF lists technical review as December 2026 –January 2026, while its selection decision is December 2026 – January 2027. The opportunity page also anticipates due diligence and contracting completed in December 2026 - January 2027, whereas the PDF says contracting begins January – February 2027. Confirm the intended review and contracting dates with Elrha rather than correcting them by assumption.

Institutional overheads and indirect administrative costs are capped at a maximum of 10% across collaborative funding allocations and awards. The supplied passages do not establish the amount of the anchor’s start-up grant or a per-sub-grant ceiling.

Recommendations

The application should demonstrate both convening credibility and a practical route from technical evidence to action. Use concrete Ethiopian examples of platforms convened and evidence translated into guidelines or policy, then explain how community participation and feedback will work through trusted intermediaries. The supplied package contains no applicant profile, so it cannot establish whether an institution meets these conditions.

The call distinguishes existing financial systems from a future pathway to manage sub-grants: basic audited financial management systems are screened, whereas the pathway and capacity to assume devolved fund management are described as desirable, with devolution subject to readiness and due diligence. Explain present financial controls separately from a credible readiness pathway, without presenting devolution as already assured.

The immediate opportunity is to lead a national platform, not simply propose a standalone health intervention. A persuasive approach would need to connect evidence generation to practical health action while allowing national partners and crisis-affected communities to shape priorities. Explain how the institution would identify gaps without duplicating existing initiatives, translate forecasts into contingency planning and support the use of findings in policy and frontline response.