CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS 

1. BACKGROUND TO THE CALL FOR IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS 

Health Development Initiative (HDI) is an independent, Rwandan civil society organisation working to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through advocacy, movement-building, research, and rights-based service provision. For nearly two decades, HDI has worked alongside communities, activists, healthcare providers, and policymakers to expand access to SRHR information and services, challenge harmful laws and social norms, and strengthen the collective power of civil society to influence change. 

HDI’s work is grounded in the belief that sustainable progress on SRHR is driven by communities themselves. Grassroots organisations, feminist movements, youth-led groups, LGBTQIA+ collectives, sex worker organisations, and other community-based actors play a critical role in shaping public discourse, resisting restrictive policies, and holding institutions accountable. These groups are often closest to the realities of injustice and exclusion, yet face the greatest barriers in accessing flexible funding, political space, and long-term institutional support. 

With support from AmplifyChange, HDI is implementing the Catalyst Fund for Community-Led SRHR Advocacy, a regional partnership initiative working across Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. The partnership aims to strengthen the power, resilience, and sustainability of grassroots civil society organisations working to advance SRHR, particularly in contexts where rights are contested, political space is shrinking, and anti-rights movements are increasingly organised and well-resourced. 

Through this partnership, HDI will provide financial support, technical accompaniment, and learning opportunities to community-led organisations engaged in SRHR advocacy. The Catalyst Fund is designed not only to resource individual projects, but to contribute to broader movement-building by supporting collective strategies, knowledge-sharing, and solidarity across countries and movements. It seeks to support organisations and collectives that are rooted in lived experience, led by affected communities, and engaged in advocacy efforts to advance SRHR, challenge discrimination and stigma, influence laws and policies, and shift harmful social norms. 

1.2 AREAS OF THE SELECTED IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS AND PROJECTS 

This Call for Implementing Partners is open to civil society organisations and community-based organizations engaged in advocacy to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. 

Rather than prescribing narrow technical sectors, the Catalyst Fund prioritises advocacy initiatives that contribute to strengthening SRHR movements, challenging structural barriers, and shifting policies, norms, and power relations that restrict bodily autonomy and human rights. 

Applicants are invited to propose projects aligned with one of the following broad thematic areas:

Access to SRHR Education and services 

Initiatives that expand access to accurate, inclusive, and rights-based SRHR information and services, particularly for adolescents, young people, and marginalised communities. 

Access to Safe Abortion 

Efforts aimed at reducing unsafe abortion and advancing access to safe, dignified abortion information and services. This includes campaigning to remove legal and policy barriers where possible, supporting the expansion and availability of post-abortion care, and increasing access to accurate information about safely using medical methods of abortion. 

Sexual Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response 

initiatives addressing the structural and social drivers of sexual gender-based violence, including work to influence laws, policies, institutional practices, and social norms. 

LGBTIQ+ Rights and Advocacy 

Advocacy and movement-building initiatives led by or working with LGBTIQ+ communities to advance legal recognition, social inclusion, access to services, and protection from violence and discrimination. 

Across all thematic areas, priority will be given to initiatives that: 

• Are led by or meaningfully engage affected communities. 
• Address structural barriers and power dynamics, not only individual behaviour.
• Contribute to collective action, coalition-building, or movement strengthening.
• Engage with contested, politically sensitive, or under-resourced SRHR issues.
• Demonstrate a clear advocacy strategy and theory of change. 

The Catalyst Fund particularly welcomes applications from organisations working with and for communities that experience systemic exclusion and discrimination, including but not limited to: adolescents and young people, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ persons, sex workers, people living with HIV, survivors of gender-based violence, refugees, people with disabilities, and historically marginalised communities. 

2. IMPLEMENTING PARTNER SELECTION CRITERIA 

The Catalyst Fund seeks to support organisations and collectives that are actively contributing to the advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through advocacy, movement-building, and collective action. Selection will prioritise initiatives that demonstrate political relevance, community leadership, and potential to contribute to structural and long-term change. 

In assessing applications, particular attention will be given to the following criteria:

a) Movement Relevance and Advocacy Focus 

b) Community Leadership and Lived Experience 

c) Contribution to Collective Action and Movement-Building 

d) Political Context and Risk Awareness 

e) Feasibility and Clear Theory of Change

f) Commitment to Inclusion and Intersectionality 

g) Organisational Readiness (Appropriate to Context)

The Catalyst Fund intentionally values political relevance, community leadership, and movement contribution over formal institutional size, professionalisation, or previous access to donor funding. Emerging groups, informal collectives, and first-time grantees are strongly encouraged to apply. 

3. GRANT AMOUNTS 

The Catalyst Fund will provide grants to a selected number of Implementing Partner organisations to support SRHR advocacy and movement-building initiatives. 

Grant amounts are expected to range between GBP 30,000 and GBP 50,000 per organisation, depending on the scope, duration, and strategic relevance of the proposed initiative. 

Grants will support projects of up to 12 months in duration. 

The Catalyst Fund recognises that effective advocacy and movement work requires adequate resourcing of both programme and core costs. Budgets may therefore include, where justified: 

• Staff and coordination costs 
• Stipends or honoraria for activists and community organisers 
• Advocacy and campaigning activities 
• Convenings, learning spaces, and coalition meetings 
• Communications and narrative work 
• Research, documentation, and evidence generation 
• Safety, security, and wellbeing measures for activists 

The Fund prioritises value for money through strategic investment in initiatives that strengthen collective action, build long-term movement capacity, and contribute to structural change, rather than funding one-off activities or short-term service delivery that does not lead to sustained impact. 

4. LENGTH OF PROJECTS 

The proposed project cannot exceed Twelve (12) Months. 

5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS 

WHO CAN APPLY? 

This Call for Implementing Partners is open to civil society organisations, community-based groups, and grassroots collectives working to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. 

Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to: 

• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs).
• Grassroots movements, networks, and collectives engaged in SRHR advocacy.
• Feminist, youth-led, and community-led organisations. 
• Organisations led by or representing communities directly affected by SRHR-related injustice and exclusion. 
• Organisations and collectives led by or representing HDI target communities as detailed below: 
•  Organisations of adolescents and young people, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ persons, sex workers, people living with HIV, survivors of gender-based violence,
• people with disabilities, historically marginalised communities, women or youth groups, umbrella structures, feminist organisations 
• Civil society organizations serving the above mentioned groups 

Organisational status 

Applicants should be legally registered in their country of operation where possible. However, recognising that many grassroots groups operate informally or face legal and political barriers to registration, informal collectives and unregistered groups may apply provided they can demonstrate: 

• A clear governance or leadership structure. 
• Basic financial accountability mechanisms. 
• A credible track record of community-based advocacy or organising. 

In such cases, alternative arrangements (such as fiscal sponsorship) may be explored. Geographic scope 

Applicants must be based in, and implement activities in, at least one of the following countries: Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Burundi. 

Regional or cross-border activities involving collaboration between organisations in two or more of these countries are particularly encouraged. Examples of regional or cross-border initiatives include joint convenings, cross-border learning visits, coordinated regional advocacy (e.g. joint statements or social media campaigns), collaborative research across two or more eligible countries, etc. 

Who cannot apply 

The following are not eligible: 

• Government institutions or state agencies. 
• For-profit entities or private companies. 
• Political parties or organisations directly affiliated with political parties. 

APPLICATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

a) Each organisation can only submit only One (1) application. 

b) Applications can be submitted in English or French. 

c) Each organisation cannot submit an application that cuts across all 4 thematic areas. Applicants are therefore encouraged to select a thematic area where they have their core niche, competence and track record and submit one application. 

6. APPLICATION PROCEDURE 

The Application to this call for Implementing Parners will include submission in electronic downloadable versions of A Narrative Application and a Provisional Budget. 

The detailed application procedure will be done according to the following modalities:

NARRATIVE APPLICATION 

• The Narrative Application should include the following: 
  • Organisational Background: Brief description of the organisation, mission, and relevant experience. Experience working in the proposed thematic area and geographic location. ○ Problem Statement: Description of the issue the project seeks to address. Relevant context (local, national, or regional as applicable). 
  • Project Description: Overall goal and specific objectives. Key activities to be implemented. Target population(s) and geographic coverage. 
  • Expected Results: Anticipated outcomes and key deliverables. How success will be measured. 
  • Implementation Plan: Proposed timeline. Roles and responsibilities (including partners, if any). 
  • Sustainability and Risk Considerations. How results will be sustained beyond the grant period. Key risks and mitigation strategies in your country and organizational context

● The Narrative Application should not exceed 10 Pages (Appendices not included) and will be written in electronic version. 

• The submitted Narrative Application should be submitted in MS Word or PDF or other compatible downloadable software. 
• The Narrative Application should be named as thus: Thematic Area_Name of Your Organisation_Narrative Application For example: SRHR Education_HDI_Narrative Application 

PROVISIONAL BUDGET 

• The Provisional Budget should not exceed 2 Excel Sheets and will be written in electronic version. 
• The Provisional Budget must include: 
  •  A summary budget by major cost categories 
  •  A detailed budget breakdown 
  • Clear indication of any co-funding (if applicable) 
• Brief budget notes explaining major cost assumptions 
• The submitted Provisional Budget should be submitted in MS Excel or other compatible downloadable software. 
• The Provisional Budget should be named as thus: Thematic Area_Name of Your Organisation_Budget For example: SRHR Education_HDI_Budget 

SUBMISSION OF EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 

The Expression of Interest must be sent electronically via email to Health Development Initiative at thefollowing address: grants@hdirwanda.org  with the subject “Implementing Partner Call + OrganizationName" by 11:59 p.m. on 18nd March 2026. 

HDI will review each application and a selection committee, composed of an independent panel, will meetto choose Implementing Partners based on the criteria above. Applicants will be informed individually, byemail, of the outcome of their application by April 2026. 

Please Note: 

▪ Any Application that is sent after 18nd March 2026, will not be considered. 

▪ No handwritten applications will be processed by HDI.