As the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 on people's health, education and livelihoods continue to reverberate around the globe–and likely will for some time to come–it's important to take stock of which approaches to addressing these impacts are working. The UBS Optimus Foundation seeks to identify and replicate evidence-based interventions that increase the resiliency of children, youth, and communities affected by the direct or indirect impacts of COVID-19. The Foundation will award one or more grant prizes of up to USD 1m to organization(s) that have demonstrated or are seeking to demonstrate rigorous evidence of achievement of one or more of the following outcomes through an intervention implemented in the context of COVID-19:
- Sustained learning outcomes (literacy and numeracy), attendance rates, and access to education
- Improved life skills, socio-emotional skills, etc.
- Job placement and/or retention among youth
- Prevention of child labor and trafficking
- Prevention of children being separated from families due to reasons such as poverty, violence, abuse or lack of access to basic health and education
- Sustained maternal and child health outcomes, i.e., stable levels of antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, immunization rates, etc.; no increases in maternal mortality or mortality from malaria, pneumonia, and/or diarrhea
- Increased local food production, improved food system governance and participation of vulnerable groups
Download the full request for Expressions of Interest to learn more and be sure to submit before the November 15, 2020 deadline!