Innovations for Social Accountability in Cambodia (ISAC) is a five-year project supported by
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from October 2019 to
September 2024 and implemented by FHI 360, a non-profit human development organization
dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally-driven solutions.
FHI 360’s implementation partners for ISAC are DAI Global, Internews, and Open Development
Cambodia (ODC). The goal of the project is to support Cambodian citizens in urban areas to
improve accountability for public services in health, education, Sangkat administration services,
and other citizen priorities through the application of social accountability tools.
What is the Annual Program Statement looking to fund?
Background
The Implementation Plan for Social Accountability Framework (ISAF), approved by the RGC’s
National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD) and supported by the
World Bank, has created a structure for citizens to engage RGC officials and increase public
demand to address community issues. USAID’s ISAC Activity will build on the work started by
ISAF Phase I by complementing the rollout of ISAF Phase II and expanding and improving on
current ISAF methodologies to help citizens better understand their rights to civic participation
and social accountability. Working through trusted local partners, the ISAC activity will ensure
that citizens gain the knowledge, skills, and innovative tools needed to improve public services
and accountability in urban areas.
APS Objectives
The Digital Innovation and Information Fund, in accordance with the third objective of the ISAC
project, is seeking to support CSOs, community-based organizations (CBOs), and/or private
companies to design and implement new or existing ICT-enabled projects to:
1. Adjust and simplify Information for Citizens (I4Cs)
to be more user-friendly;
2. Improve citizens’ access to information on government planning and decisions as well as
public revenue and expenditures in ISAC municipalities mentioned below;
3. Raise awareness of citizen rights and service standards, including the direct participation
of citizens, CAFs, and CSOs in public outreach and awareness-raising events;
4. Enhance transparency and responsiveness in delivery of public services, such as those
provided by health centers, schools, and Sangkat administrations in ISAC municipalities;
5. Involve a large number of citizens in community scorecard
assessments, collective
actions, and Joint Accountability Action Plan (JAAP)
activities to strengthen local
governments’ accountability for delivering public services, such as those provided by
health centers, schools, and Sangkat administrations to citizens;
6. Enhance local government responsiveness to JAAPs and increase JAAP implementation;
7. Enhance capacity of citizens, CAFs, and CSOs to productively engage local governments
in improving delivery of public services such as those provided by health centers,
schools, and Sangkat administrations;
8. Improve relations and trust between citizens and public officials and service providers;
and/or
9. Raise awareness of accountability and integrity in public administration.
A technology company registered in Cambodia is encouraged to work with a CSO/CBO to blend
complementary strengths and thereby enhance the potential success of a proposed project. ISAC
envisions that a company with the capability to develop a digital tool(s) can collaborate with a
CSO/CBO which has the resources and networks to train and promote innovations to ISAC’s
target population to increase use of developed tools. Each applicant is encouraged to go through a human-centered design
or design thinking approach with “Do No Harm” principles to develop and implement a digital solution that will be used by the target communities.
ISAC will provide a maximum of three grants, each of which must not exceed USD 33,333 that
is subject to availability of funding. All award activities must have a period of performance in
between three and six months. The number of awards and amount of available funding is subject
to change and ISAC reserves the right to make no awards as a result of this APS. Grant funding
may be supplemented with technical support, including program design support and/or training
from ISAC, if applicable. Awardees will be expected to share activity results and key lessons
learned with external audiences.
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