Introduction
Despite the fact that tuberculosis (TB) is preventable, treatable, and curable, TB is the most common co-infection and a leading killer of people with HIV. In some countries, over 35 percent of those infected with HIV are at risk of death from TB. Historically, these two diseases have been approached by government health services as completely separate, with little attempt to integrate services or care. More recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to implement a set of collaborative TB/HIV program activities (Interim Policy for Collaborative TB/HIV Activities, http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2004/WHO_HTM_TB_2004.330.pdf) and has indicated that TB control programs have the potential to contribute at least 500,000 HIV-infected persons with TB to antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs per year under the "3x5" initiative (http://www.who.int/3by5/en). Community-based advocacy, education and mobilization have been identified as key elements in expanding TB services to communities affected by HIV/AIDS and in establishing effective linkages between HIV and TB programs. This TB/HIV advocacy small grant competition is intended to support a group of up to fifteen projects providing up to $5,000 per project in support for TB/HIV advocacy work by AIDS community groups in countries affected by the dual TB/HIV epidemics.

Project Summary
The Open Society Institute (OSI) is calling for letters of intent (LOIs) to support the development or proposals on mobilizing demand for improving policy and programs related to TB/HIV co-infection. Applicants wishing to apply for funding will be asked to submit a letter of intent (see form attached). Applicants whose letters of intent are accepted will be supported by Treatment Action Group (TAG) to attend the 3rd International TB/HIV Community Mobilization Workshop, organized (TAG at the 35th IUATLD World Conference on Lung Health in Paris from 26 October-1 November 2004 and will be offered the opportunity after that workshop to submit a proposal for up to $5,000 of project support.

Purpose of Competition
To fund community based advocacy groups of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in countries with high or concentrated burdens of HIV and TB co-infection; to mobilize demand for improving policy and programs related to HIV/TB co-infection and expand resources for joint or coordinated programming.

Activities eligible for support include but are not limited to:

• Advocacy for better coordination of TB and HIV programs in countries affected by both epidemics.
• Advocacy for increased resources devoted to TB and HIV programs in countries affected by both epidemics.
• Community mobilization activities within HIV communities to promote access to TB services for people living with/at risk for HIV infection, and access to HIV services – including voluntary testing & counseling, prevention and treatment (including cotrimoxazole, isoniazid prophylaxis, antiretroviral therapy) – for people living with/at risk for TB disease.
• Strengthening of community-based HIV treatment advocacy, education, literacy and preparedness programs to include TB programming in local, national, and regional PLWHA networks and organizations.
• Educational activities within HIV communities to promote TB knowledge, literacy, prevention, treatment, cure, and better programs.

The following types of activities WILL NOT be eligible for support:

• Research
• Direct lobbying
• Service delivery and/or purchase of drugs or medical equipment
• Programs for work in Western EU countries, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, or New Zealand

Criteria for Participation in Competition
LOIs must come from existing community based organizations. Organizations must demonstrate:

• Capacity to implement advocacy, education and mobilization programs related to TB and/or HIV
• Experience/focus on policy change and advocacy work
• Adequate representation of PLWHA on board, staff and all levels
• Ability to have successfully fundraised and implemented programs

How to Apply
Interested organizations should submit the five part letter of intent (LOI) described below. Completed LOI's must be received by OSI on or before Tuesday 31 August 2004 and sent via mail, email or fax to:

Mail: TB/HIV Advocacy Small Grants
Eleonora Jimenez
Project Assistant, Public Health Programs
Open Society Institute
499 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019

Fax: +1.212.548.4610

Email: ejimenez@sorosny.org

LOI Instructions
This LOI consists of 5 parts:

• Part 1. Applicant Information.
  
• Part 2. Summary Statement of Proposed Project including goals, objectives, timeline, scope of project, target populations/sectors, and proposed partners.
  
• Part 3. Institutional Capacity & Background in TB, HIV/AIDS and/or TB/HIV Treatment Advocacy.
  
• Part 4. CVs of key project staff
  
• Part 5. Budget.

All LOIs must be completed in English. Incomplete LOIs will not be considered. Please direct inquiries to Eleonora Jimenez at ejimenez@sorosny.org.

Selection Process
A grant selection advisory committee consisting of global and regional experts and advocates will review the letters of intent and recommend a list of semi-finalists. Semi-finalists will be notified the week of 13 September 2004 and will be invited and required (unless attending a competing meeting) to attend the 3rd International TB/HIV Community Mobilization Workshop at the 35th IUATLD World Conference on Lung Health in Paris from 26 October-1 November 2004, sponsored by the Treatment Action Group (TAG; treatmentactiongroup.org).

After the workshop, semi-finalists will be asked to submit a full proposal to OSI by 22 November 2004 and will be notified of final selection results the week of 17 December 2004.

Part 1. Applicant Information

Part 2. Summary Statement of Proposed Project
Please attach a summary statement (no more than 2 pages) including the following information:

• Rationale (description of unmet needs and why you have chosen to address these needs, including description of TB/HIV co-infection in your country).
• Summary of project goals (overall statement of purpose for your project).
• Activities (the activities you are going to implement to achieve your stated goals).
• Partners (who will you work with to achieve your goals).
• Outcomes (concrete results your project will achieve).
• Evaluation (how you plan to monitor the progress of the project and the outcomes).

Part 3. Institutional Capacity & Background in HIV/AIDS and/or TB/HIV Treatment Advocacy
In no more than 2 pages, please describe your organization's:

• Background, experience and current program and advocacy work in TB, HIV/AIDS and/or TB/HIV treatment advocacy and policy work. Please be specific.
• Representation of PLWHA on board, staff and all levels.
• Responsiveness to gender equity, expertise and inclusion/involvement of specific vulnerable populations.
• Ability to have successfully fundraised.
• Participation in national, regional or global PLWHA and/or treatment activist networks. If so, please list.
• Participation in the 1st or 2nd International TB/HIV Community Education & Mobilization Workshops and/or the International Treatment Preparedness Summit, and relevant follow-up activities including current and planned activities.

Part 4. CVs

• Include CVs for key project implementers who will be involved in the project.

Part 5. Budget

• Please provide a budget.
• Funding requests should not exceed $5,000.
• Projects are highly encouraged to secure co-funding from sources other than OSI. Such co-funding should be listed in the budget section of the LOI.

The Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a private operating and grantmaking foundation based in New York City that serves as a hub of the Open Society Network, a group of autonomous foundations and organizations in over 50 countries. This network implements a range of initiatives that aim to promote open society by sharing government policy and supporting education, media, public health and human and women's rights, as well as social, legal and economic reform. To diminish and prevent the negative consequences of globalization, the Network seeks to foster global open society by increasing collaboration with other nongovernmental organizations, governments and international institutions. OSI was created in 1993 by investor and philanthropist George Soros to support his foundation in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Those foundations were established, starting in 1984, to help former communist countries in their transition to democracy. The Network has expanded its geographic reach to include foundations and initiatives in Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus, Haiti, Latin America, Mongolia, Southeast Asia, Turkey and the United States. OSI also supports selective projects in other parts of the world.

Background information on the Open Society Institute (OSI) and its public health programs can be found on the Internet at www.soros.org/intiatives/health.

3rd International Workshop • Call for Nominations