Seeking Proposals for Advocacy for Trans Fatty Acids Incubation Project in Africa

The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) is seeking for concept notes for our new project, Trans-fatty Acid (TFA) Incubation Project. The application will be open until August 14, 2023. Applications remain open for organizations in Benin, Lesotho, Liberia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. 

GHAI is currently working in collaboration with Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Initiative towards the goal of saving 100 million lives. As part of these efforts GHAI is tasked with leading policy advocacy campaigns to: eliminate industrially produced TFA (iTFA) from the food supply, reduce sodium intake, and improve hypertension screening and treatment. We will focus on monitoring and countering industry interference. In just a little over 5 years of the initiative, GHAI has succeeded in passing seven evidence-based best practice iTFA elimination policies across the world.

As we continue to expand our work around the world, GHAI is pleased to share our new TFA Incubation Project. As part of this project, GHAI will support Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from Benin, Botswana, Lesotho, Liberia, Namibia, Zambia, and/or Zimbabwe. Applications remain open for organizations in Benin, Lesotho, Liberia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. We intend to build a Community of Practice to support the passage of best-practice iTFA elimination policies across the five African countries. We will provide the selected organizations with training on GHAI’s successful institutional advocacy model, with which we have been able to pass several public health policies.

The efforts of this project should support the ultimate goal of passing best-practice iTFA elimination policies, which include: a) a mandatory limit on iTFA to 2% of total fat in all fats, oils & foods; b) a ban on the production or use of partially-hydrogenated oils (PHOs) as an ingredient in all foods; or c) a combination of both (depending on the source of iTFA in your country). As a part of this initiative, GHAI will select five CSOs, who will receive a grant of 25,000 USD and select individual(s) from the organization will also receive training to achieve the intended policy goal for their country.

Who can apply

GHAI is seeking CSOs in Benin, Lesotho, Liberia, Namibia, and/or Zimbabwe. Priority will be given to CSOs in countries where there is demonstrated political interest/will for iTFA elimination. Interested CSOs should have experience with engaging policymakers, media advocacy, monitoring, and countering industry interference, and coalition building to pass health policies in Africa.

How to apply

All applicants should submit a concept note that can be downloaded HERE. Please thoroughly complete all sections of the concept note template below, limiting your submission to no more than five pages. Concept notes should focus on advocacy activities that aim to achieve the WHO REPLACE package objectives and strategic action areas. All concept notes must be completed in English. Once complete, please submit your concept note by 12:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) on Monday, August 14, 2023, to the following contact: tfaincubation@advocacyincubator.org