2024 Community Grant Program

The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is a multi-component grant program designed to innovate, implement, and evaluate new approaches for optimizing the One Health laboratory diagnostic network and specimen transport in Liberia. The core mission of this program aligns with strengthening public health infrastructure by addressing the critical inter-dependencies necessary for a functional diagnostic system. While the specific foundation mission is not stated, the focus on 'One Health'—the collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals, and our environment—indicates an alignment with organizations committed to integrated health security and capacity building in resource-limited settings. The target beneficiaries of this program are the public health systems, laboratory personnel, and ultimately the human, animal, and environmental populations served by the Liberian national and sub-national laboratory network. The primary impact goal is to create a comprehensive, resource-mapped, and accredited diagnostic network that is sustainable and efficient. This focus on optimization is crucial for improving disease surveillance, detection, and response capabilities across the country, mitigating health risks that span human and animal populations. The program prioritizes three interconnected areas. First is the establishment of a comprehensive, resource-mapped, and accredited national and sub-national laboratory network, ensuring standardized quality and coverage. Second is the optimization of the physical transportation architecture required to transfer network commodities, specifically human, animal, and environmental specimens, reliably point-to-point. The third priority involves the optimization of digital communication, information, and supply chain systems. These systems are essential for sustaining the network by ensuring laboratories have necessary supplies, information is shared efficiently, and communication is streamlined. Expected outcomes include the establishment of a fully functional, accredited, and resilient One Health diagnostic network in Liberia. Measurable results would involve metrics such as the number of accredited laboratories, the efficiency and reliability of specimen transport logistics (e.g., turnaround time reduction), the successful integration of digital information systems, and the demonstrated sustainability of the network components. The overarching theory of change, implied by the program's design, is that by simultaneously strengthening the physical network, the transport infrastructure, and the digital support systems, Liberia will achieve a robust and integrated One Health diagnostic capability capable of effectively managing current and emerging health threats.