The USAID Global Health Development Innovation Accelerator Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Addendum 03 | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the USAID Global Health Development Innovation Accelerator (GH DIA) BAA Addendum 03?

It is an addendum to a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) from USAID's Global Health Development Innovation Accelerator that calls for innovative solutions under the initiative "Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development." This addendum represents the sixth round of the Saving Lives at Birth challenge.

What is the "Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development" initiative?

It is a challenge-driven initiative focused on generating and advancing breakthrough prevention and treatment approaches that improve outcomes for pregnant women and newborns in low-resource, hard-to-reach communities, especially around the time of childbirth and the early postnatal period.

Who are the partners backing this sixth round of Saving Lives at Birth?

The partnership includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Government of Norway, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

What problem is this grant opportunity trying to address?

The opportunity targets persistent maternal and newborn health burdens worldwide, emphasizing that many deaths and adverse outcomes cluster around childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and that progress in reducing mortality during this timeframe has lagged behind other areas.

What global burden figures are highlighted in the opportunity description?

The description cites estimates of 2.6 million stillbirths, 2.7 million neonatal deaths, and about 303,000 maternal deaths globally each year.

Which populations and settings are prioritized?

Priority is placed on low-resource, hard-to-reach communities, with particular attention to poor and underserved communities and disadvantaged women facing access barriers, quality-of-care challenges, and inequities.

What timeframe around childbirth does the addendum emphasize most?

It emphasizes the time of childbirth and the early postnatal window, with special focus on the first two days after birth, described as a period of intense vulnerability for both mother and newborn.

What kinds of outcomes is the opportunity aiming to improve?

The stated goal is to produce substantial and sustainable reductions in maternal deaths, newborn deaths, and stillbirths at the community level.

What does it mean that proposed solutions should "leapfrog" conventional approaches?

Based on the description, "leapfrog" implies innovations that go beyond incremental improvements by directly addressing inequities and improving real-world reach and effectiveness in resource-constrained environments.

What are the main innovation domains applicants can propose under?

Applicants are encouraged to propose innovations across three domains: (1) science and technology, (2) service delivery, and (3) demand-side innovation.

What counts as "science and technology" innovation in this call?

This domain can include new or improved tools, diagnostics, treatments, devices, or other technical breakthroughs that are appropriate for low-resource settings.

What counts as "service delivery" innovation in this call?

Service delivery innovation includes new ways of organizing, providing, and strengthening care so that high-quality maternal and newborn services are more accessible and reliable where they are currently weakest.

What counts as "demand-side" innovation in this call?

Demand-side innovation focuses on empowering pregnant women, families, and communities to adopt healthy behaviors and to seek, recognize, and access appropriate care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the early postnatal period, with special emphasis on the first two days after birth.

Why is the first 48 hours after birth emphasized?

The addendum singles out this early window because it is described as a time of intense vulnerability and because timely recognition of danger signs and rapid access to effective care can be decisive for survival.

Is the opportunity interested in integrated solutions rather than standalone ideas?

Yes. A key theme is integration, with particular interest in approaches that combine modern behavior change strategies with scientific or technological advances and practical service delivery platforms.

Does the addendum encourage combining health innovation with business or social innovation?

Yes. The call encourages concepts that blend scientific and technological innovation with social and business innovation, reflecting a preference for models that can be sustained over time and potentially supported by viable delivery, financing, or market-based pathways.

Is scalability an explicit requirement or preference?

Scalability is strongly emphasized. The opportunity seeks solutions that can realistically reach people in remote or resource-constrained environments and can be scaled for broader impact, not just work in controlled settings.

What global strategies or agendas does this work align with?

The opportunity is framed as contributing to major global agendas, including the goals and targets associated with Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality and the Every Newborn Action Plan.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided is 98.001.

How is the opportunity categorized (opportunity category and funding instrument type)?

In the provided listing, both the opportunity category and the funding instrument type are categorized as "Other."

What activity category is associated with this opportunity?

The activity category is Health.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many types of entities, subject to any additional clarifications contained in the full eligibility text of the announcement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on January 8, 2016, and the closing date listed is February 29, 2016.

Is the award ceiling stated in the provided information?

No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided data (it is listed as 0), which suggests the full BAA addendum would need to be consulted for award size details.

Is the expected number of awards stated in the provided information?

The expected number of awards is not clearly stated in the excerpt provided, implying applicants would need to refer to the full BAA addendum for details on selection structure and potential phased funding.

Does the opportunity specify anything about phased funding or selection structure?

The excerpt notes that details such as award size, selection structure, and any phased funding approach are not provided and would require consulting the full BAA addendum.

What types of solutions seem most responsive to the call based on the description?

Solutions that are practical in underserved settings, address inequities, integrate technology with service delivery and behavior change, and show a credible pathway to sustainability and broad adoption appear most aligned with the stated priorities.

Is the focus limited to clinical interventions?

No. While clinical tools and treatments are included, the call also explicitly includes service delivery improvements and demand-side approaches that influence behaviors and care-seeking, especially around childbirth and the immediate postnatal period.

What does "community level" impact imply in this context?

Based on the description, it implies measurable improvements that can be achieved where people live and seek care in low-resource and hard-to-reach areas, rather than solutions that only function in well-resourced facilities or pilot conditions.