State of Global Partnerships Report 2015
S/GP’s second annual State of Global Partnerships Report includes the most innovative and scalable public-private partnerships across the State Department that aims to strengthen and deepen U.S. diplomacy and development around the world. The report features 12 partnerships in a calendar format, as well as new partnerships to watch. This year’s report builds on the success of S/GP’s first State of Global Partnerships Report in 2014.
Table of Contents
Secretary Kerry’s Introduction
Special Representative O’Brien’s Introduction
Partnerships
100,000 Strong in the Americas
Coca-Cola MENA Scholars Partnership
Overseas Security Advisory Council
Diplomatic Culinary Partnership
YALI Crowdfunding Campaign Initiative
Climate and Clean Air Coalition Oil & Gas Methane Partnership
Ambassador’s Entrepreneurial Challenge
The Alliance for Artisan Enterprise
Alliance for Affordable Internet
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, & Malaria
Partnership Update
Veterans Innovation Partnership (VIP)
Partnerships to Watch
DREAMS: Adolescent Girls and Young Women’s Initiative
Secretary Kerry’s Introduction
Greetings—
It’s been a fast start to 2015 – a new year – with plenty of new challenges and unfinished business. I think we all share the sense that while the clock ticks quickly, we have a lot we can and must do to transform our greatest challenges into historic opportunities. Just run the list: building a coalition to take on ISIL; working with our European friends to define what it really means to be united for Ukraine; leading a global effort on the Ebola epidemic, on climate change, and the Iran negotiations; seeing Afghanistan through elections all the way to a unity government; and the historic change to our Cuba policy.
So we have our share of big challenges. But if there’s one thing I’ve heard and learned since I got here, it’s that while government has a clear role to play in confronting them, the best way to promote development and economic growth and security is with an approach that puts partnerships at the absolute center.
The good news? We’re already making great strides thanks to the ingenuity and innovation of the State Department’s Office of Global Partnerships and the work being done throughout the building. We’re engaging the next generation of African leaders through the Mandela Washington Fellowship Crowdfunding Campaign. We’re promoting people-to-people exchanges and shared prosperity in our own hemisphere through 100,000 Strong in the Americas. We’re reducing methane emissions through our Climate and Clean Air Coalition Oil and Gas Methane Partnership. And we’re helping fishermen manage their stocks sustainably through our Fishackathon partnership.
Our global partnership agenda is really just a jumping-off point for an even bigger action agenda on all of these issues. The best ideas are never bound by borders, and we all benefit from working together. As Senator Jim Sasser told me when I was a freshman Senator, “If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he didn't get there on his own.” None of us here get anywhere on our own. That’s not a weakness; that’s strength. And I hope this year’s report offers you a glimpse of the partnerships we’re building, and how we hope to grow them in the future.
Onwards,
John F. Kerry
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Special Representative O’Brien’s Introduction
Welcome,
More than five years ago, our office was created with the directive to find new ways of engaging in diplomacy and development. Rather than stick to the same tried-and-true ways of doing things, we aim to innovate, and even disrupt, the status quo to address complex global challenges.
How do we do that? Through public-private partnerships, we leverage the unique strengths of each sector to maximize our shared value and impact. The Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships serves as a “matchmaker” of sorts for the 4 C’s: we are a convener, bringing different actors together on issues of common interest; a catalyzer, seeking new solutions and launching new projects; a collaborator, working with partners to implement projects and bring best practices and lessons learned to future endeavors; and a cultivator, encouraging new ideas by providing resources, tools, and guidance.
This second annual State of Global Partnerships report feeds into those 4 C’s—it highlights twelve of the many diverse partnerships throughout the Department and around the world, as well as a couple “bonus” new partnerships to watch. We think these partnerships demonstrate the breadth and depth of partnership work that we and our colleagues all around the Department are doing. We are also excited to release this report during our annual Global Partnerships Week (GPW) celebration, which recognizes the importance of public-private partnerships through events and activities organized by partnership practitioners.
We are always looking for new ways to collaborate, and welcome your ideas and input. Get in touch with us at partnerships@state.gov, or on Twitter (@GPatState) or Facebook to share your partnership stories—we look forward to engaging with you!
-Andrew O’Brien, Special Representative for Global Partnerships
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S/GP Mission
• Support U.S. diplomacy and development around the world through partnerships by leveraging the creativity, innovation, and business resources of private sector partners for greater impact;
• Grow solutions to address the priority issues of the Secretary in modern, adaptive ways that embrace technology and disruption;
• Provide collaborative environments for Department-wide progress in embracing new problem-solving approaches, including breaking down barriers between offices and bureaus.
PARTNERSHIPS
100,000 Strong in the Americas
About the partnership:
In March 2011, President Obama announced this signature education initiative with the ambitious goal to increase the number of U.S. students studying in Western Hemisphere countries to 100,000 and the number of Western Hemisphere students studying in the United States to 100,000 by the year 2020. The initiative is aimed at enhancing hemispheric competitiveness, increasing prosperity, and better preparing a globally competent workforce. It underscores both the State Department and the Obama Administration’s priority of creating shared prosperity across the Western Hemisphere.
How it works:
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the United States, Latin America, Canada, and the Caribbean compete for quarterly 100,000 Innovation Fund grants to help create new partnerships within universities to increase study abroad opportunities for students to/from WHA region.
The Innovation Fund operates through Partners of the Americas, an international grassroots network. Private sector participants of 100K Strong in the Americas receive the opportunity to build relationships with universities, help prepare globally-competent students, and tap into a vast network of future employees.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, National Security Council Office of Global Engagement, Partners of the Americas, National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA), and private companies.
Results:
• In the first year of the 100,000 Innovation Fund, a total of 38 Innovation Fund grants of $25,000 each have been awarded to teams of 109 HEIs from 12 countries in the Western Hemisphere.
• More than 1,200 HEIs have joined the 100,000 Innovation Fund Network.
• A total of 420 HEIs from 24 countries have applied for Innovation Fund grants to promote partnerships that will increase student mobility to/from WHA region.
• The 100,000 Innovation Fund involves $4.25 million to date in grants and private sector contributions and pledges.
• 2014 data shows that there are 72,318 students from Latin American and the Caribbean studying in the U.S., which is an 8.2% increase from 2013. There are 45,473 U.S. students studying in the WHA region, a 1.8% increase from 2013.
“When we study together, we learn together, we work together, and we prosper together.”
—President Barack Obama, May 3rd, 2013 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Learn more: http://www.100kstrongamericas.org/
Did you know? 78% of CEOs believe their companies should engage in multi-stakeholder partnerships to address sustainability and development issues?
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Coca-Cola MENA Scholars Partnership
About the partnership:
The Coca-Cola MENA Scholars program was conceived in 2011 at U.S. Embassy Cairo and was broadly expanded as a public-private partnership contribution to the Partners for a New Beginning U.S.-North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (PNB-NAPEO) initiative.
Educational, cultural, and academic exchanges and people-to-people outreach play a key role in State Department efforts to increase engagement and public diplomacy the Middle East North Africa region.
How it works:
The annual program brings 100 university students from six countries across the Middle East and North Africa as well as Pakistan to attend a month-long summer business program at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. This multi-faceted immersion program is designed to give the students the opportunity to learn about business entrepreneurship through an accelerated curriculum; it culminates with a visit to Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta and a networking conference in Washington, D.C.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Bureau of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and the Coca-Cola Company.
Results:
• For 2016 program, The Coca-Cola Company plans to further expand the partnership to include Iraq and Yemen. This brings the participating countries to 10: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority areas, Tunisia, and Yemen.
• The 2014 Coca-Cola MENA Scholarship Program generated media attention in local and regional media throughout the MENA region, across multiple channels – mainstream news sites, online news and business sites, blogs, and Facebook. During 2013-2014 the partnership had over 13,000 applicants and over 500,000 registered users on the MENA Scholarship Program website.
Learn more: https://scholarship.coca-cola.com/website/
Did you know? The Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships played a central role in launching and building the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. Now its own entity and managed by the United Nations Foundation, the Alliance and its partners helped bring cleaner and more efficient cooking solutions to 20 million homes in the last 4 years. In 2014, the U.S. government announced new anticipated support that could bring the cumulative U.S. contribution to the sector up to $325 million through 2020.
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Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC):
About the partnership:
Since 1985, the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) has worked with the U.S. private sector operating abroad to facilitate sharing security- and threat-related information to ensure the safe operation of American interests overseas. OSAC promotes security cooperation by analyzing and sharing a broad range of open-source information, diplomatic reporting, and on-the-ground constituent feedback. OSAC works with more than 3,500 businesses, non-governmental organizations, and academic and faith-based institutions through its staff of analysts and outreach coordinators, its public website, and a network of more than 150 public-private forums within the United States and around the world. This serves to encourage and enhance information-sharing both with the Department and among constituent organizations.
How it works:
Private sector partners serve on a rotating basis on a governing council, alongside the U.S. government agencies. Any organization with a U.S. headquarters presence—from Fortune 500 corporations to small missionary groups—is eligible to join OSAC’s more than 3,500 constituents. Sub-committees focus on themes including outreach and engagement, risk and information sharing, and fostering innovation and operational excellence within the security space.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security, USAID, U.S. Department of Commerce, and 31 private sector organizations.
Results:
• At the height of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, OSAC connected constituent Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other U.S. government organizations to assist in employee evacuation.
• Following ISIL’s seizure of Mosul and several other Iraqi cities in June 2014, OSAC provided daily updates to constituents, allowing real-time information to flow to constituents with operations in Iraq while updates on organizational impact and operational changes could be brought back for OSAC analysis.
Learn more: https://www.osac.gov/
Did you know? Partnerships are not just monetary. Some partnerships do not require funding and instead rely on the synergies created when the unique comparative advantages of the public and private sector are joined together.
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Fishackathon
About the partnership:
In advance of Secretary Kerry’s “Our Ocean” 2014 Conference, the State Department held the first Fishackathon in June 2014, which brought over 150 volunteer technologists together to code solutions to address challenges in sustainable fisheries. Fishackathon is an international event calling for coders from around the world to come together and create new applications and tools for mobile phones and devices which can provide real-time information to help fishermen work smarter and more safely. The Fishackathon partnership echoes the priorities outlined during the Secretary’s “Our Ocean” 2014 Conference to protect our oceans by reaffirming our responsibility to ocean conservation and addressing sustainable fishing as a critical issue for ocean health.
How it works:
Volunteer participants come together at host aquariums throughout the United States to address their choice of problem statements around sustainable fisheries topics. Teams create applications for mobile phones that provide solutions to various challenges faced by fishers around the world. The 2014 inaugural Fishackathon was held at aquariums in Baltimore, Boston, Miami, Monterey, and New York City.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships, Greenwave, /tone, Venture Hive, CAST Software, New England Aquarium, Baltimore National Aquarium, and Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Results:
• In the 2014 pilot events, over 150 coders and fisheries experts united at five hackathons around the country to develop applications to support sustainable fisheries.
• Five finalists showcased their applications on a Google+ Hangout, following which, winners were announced at an event in D.C.
• The winning team in 2014, Fish DB, composed of alumni and graduate students from the UC Berkeley School of Information, developed an application with three interfaces to allow fishers in West Africa to acquire fishing licenses, register boats, and report illegal fishing activity.
• Another finalist team won three months of virtual incubation at VentureHive to transition their project into a sustainable business, and the team with the best quality code was awarded a $5,000 cash prize.
• The second annual Fishackathon will take place from June 5-7, 2015, leading up to World Oceans Day on June 8. The number of participating aquariums will expand domestically and internationally in 2015 and will welcome coders from around the world.
“Today, this incredible resource [the ocean] is threatened. It’s threatened by unsustainable fishing, by pollution, by climate change. Indeed, how we respond to these challenges is literally going to help determine the future of our planet.”
—John F. Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State
Learn more: http://www.fishackathon.co/
Did you know? We dropped the “I” from our office name? Now we’re S/GP—the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships!
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Diplomatic Culinary Partnership
About the partnership:
The Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, established in 2012 in cooperation with the James Beard Foundation, is a public-private partnership that seeks to elevate the role of culinary engagement and promote American food products in America’s formal and public diplomacy efforts. The program aims to advance economic statecraft promoting key exports in a way that encourages trade and investment in American goods; support the President’s Executive Order to increase international tourism; build mutual understanding and foster cross-cultural exchange; and enhance formal diplomacy by collaborating with renowned American chefs to use food preparation, presentation and the dining experience to engage foreign leaders at official Department of State functions.
How it works:
The American Chef Corps, a network of more than 100 of America’s most renowned chefs, participates in formal and public diplomacy programs in the U.S. and abroad to foster cross-cultural exchange and to highlight American cuisine through the shared experience of food.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Office of the Chief of Protocol and Bureau of International Information Programs, and the James Beard Foundation.
Results:
• U.S. Embassy Tokyo collaborated with the Foreign Agricultural Service in 2013 to promote U.S beef and other products on nationally televised Iron Chef: USA vs. Japan. Three American chefs competed against Japan’s Iron Chefs using U.S. beef and Japanese beef before a TV audience of 3.17 million viewers.
• In July 2014, a program with Brand USA focused on promoting culinary tourism and U.S. exports in five key markets: Australia, Japan, Taiwan, China and South Korea. Five American chefs promoted U.S. agricultural exports, highlighted regional American cuisines and tourism destinations, and participated in other high-visibility public diplomacy activities including U.S. Independence Day celebrations. Brand USA produced Great American Food Stories, a culinary guide that showcases regional profiles, travel information and recipes from across the culinary landscape of the United States.
• The U.S. Speaker Program brought a notable female American chef to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to focus on empowering women, fostering economic growth and strengthening bilateral ties. Pakistan’s leading 24-hour Urdu television channel, Dawn News, produced a mini-series to explore Pakistani and American culinary traditions, which reached an audience in the millions when it aired during primetime.
Who are non-governmental partners? Corporations, academics, scientists and innovators, diaspora, faith-based & community organizations, foundations and philanthropy, non-governmental organizations, and more.
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YALI Crowdfunding Campaign Initiative
About the partnership:
In conjunction with the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) program’s inaugural Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) program, the State Department partnered with RocketHub on a crowdfunding campaign to support innovative solutions to some of Africa’s toughest development challenges by accelerating public service projects created by MWF program alumni. The first class of 500 Mandela Washington Fellows arrived in June 2014 to study business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management at U.S. campuses, followed by a Presidential Summit in Washington, D.C. The Department of State’s partnership with RocketHub amplifies the impact of the MWF program to support the next generation of African entrepreneurs, educators, and innovators. This partnership supports Department initiatives that empower women, strengthen civil society, and reach youth audiences in order to foster mutual understanding by means of educational and cultural exchange.
How it works:
Through this partnership, participating Mandela Washington Fellow alumni are able to seek alternative funding and investment options to maximize their projects’ potential to tell their stories, build the capacity of their organizations, engage local communities, and develop sustainable solutions through RocketHub’s crowdfunding platform, a space where large numbers of people can donate small amounts of money to projects that are promoted online. RocketHub also provided crowdfunding educational and training tools and technical support to MWF alumni during the campaign. The 22 projects are currently listed on RocketHub.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and RocketHub.
Results:
• This campaign marks the first instance of a Federal agency to leverage crowdfunding. Other entities in the Federal government hope to replicate this model in the future.
• MWF alumni learned to pitch, market, and promote their ideas and projects to a global network of potential investors.
• All MWF alumni public service projects were funded on the RocketHub platform and collectively they raised a total of $5,631 to accelerate their projects.
• Because of the partnership, RocketHub expanded their capacity to accept contributions from and distribute funds to nearly every country in the world, making crowdfunding more accessible to millions more people in developing countries.
Learn more: http://www.rockethub.com/projects/partner/yali
www.youngafricanleaders.state.gov/crowdfunding-fuels-big-change/
What’s in a name? PPP = P3 = Public-Private Partnership
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Climate and Clean Air Coalition Oil and Gas Methane Partnership
About the partnership:
Officially launched on September 23, 2014 at the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)’s Oil and Gas Methane Partnership provides partner organizations a systematic, cost-effective approach for reducing their methane emissions, and for credibly demonstrating the impacts of their actions. The CCAC conducted a year-long consultation process with experts from oil and gas companies, IPIECA, NGOs, reporting initiatives and other experts to develop the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership. This partnership supports the Department’s concerted actions to achieve deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
How it works:
Companies joining the partnership voluntarily and commit to conduct systematic surveys to identify sources in nine core categories that account for the bulk of upstream methane emissions; evaluate methane emission control opportunities and implement methane reduction projects that are identified as feasible and cost-effective; accelerate learning by sharing new approaches and practices; and report progress on surveys and project implementation in a transparent, credible manner. Non-government partners help to provide technical support and engage the private sector to grow the program.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United Nations Environment Programme, World Bank Global Gas Flaring Reduction Initiative, Government of Norway , Government of the United Kingdom, and private sector partners including BG Group, ENI, Pemex, PTT, Southwestern Energy, Statoil, and Total.
Results:
• The Partnership received $750,000 from the CCAC to launch, and an additional $750,000 is available to support implementation upon request.
• Task forces are currently developing and implementing the key elements of the program, including a reporting framework and technical guidance documents.
Learn more: http://www.ccacoalition.org/
What is a public-private partnership? The State Department defines a public-private partnership as a collaborative working relationship between government and non-governmental partners in which the goals, structure, and governance of the partnership, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each partner, are mutually determined.
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Ambassador’s Entrepreneurial Challenge (AEC)
About the partnership:
The Ambassador’s Entrepreneurial Challenge (AEC) is a new program initiated by the U.S. Embassy Helsinki for secondary school student teams throughout Finland to develop and pitch an innovative business or service idea. The regional finalists traveled to Helsinki during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2014 for business and innovation workshops, a visit to the SLUSH start-up convention for over 13,000 entrepreneurs, and the AEC national final competition in November 2014. Embassy Helsinki will build on the success of the competition for a repeat in 2015. By promoting entrepreneurship, the Embassy seeks to ultimately attract investment in the U.S and create new markets for U.S. products and services in Finland and the broader region.
How it works:
Beginning in September 2014, the Embassy circulated a flyer through social media, teacher networks, and the Finland Ministry of Education challenging students to tackle a real-life problem, issue, or market opportunity. In October and early November, the Embassy held regional competitions throughout Finland, in which 50 teams pitched their idea in English to a panel of renowned local judges. The winners from each region traveled to Helsinki in November for a day of business and innovation workshops, including an event with the Finnish Innovation Fund, SITRA, and the final competition.
Partners:
U.S. Embassy Helsinki and the LEAD Program
Results:
• The competition winners, Team Nuoriosaa, created a web service to help young people gain their first job experience by pairing employers with potential employees, thus reducing youth unemployment. Next year, the competition’s winning team will participate in LEAD’s summer 2015 Business Academy at Emory University.
• The AEC garnered topline coverage in Finland’s most prominent economic outlet, ultimately reaching hundreds of thousands of Finns and promoted positive U.S.-Finland relationships on entrepreneurship.
• LEAD is already exploring additional partnerships with other U.S. Department of State offices and embassies for similar programs in other regions, particularly in Africa.
Learn more: http://finland.usembassy.gov/aec.html
Did you know? A Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, spells out the terms of partnering?
An MOU is a non-binding document that describes the intentions of the partners to proceed with a given course of action to achieve stated objectives.
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The Alliance for Artisan Enterprise
About the partnership:
Developing economies account for 65% of the world market for artisan goods, making the artisan sector a vital part of world economic growth. The Alliance for Artisan Enterprise (AAE), launched in November 2012 and hosted by the Aspen Institute, is a collaborative effort of over 55 organizations, corporations, and individuals working together to break down barriers commonly faced in the artisan sector. The mission of the Alliance is to support the power and potential of the artisan sector, to create jobs, increase incomes, enhance cultural heritage and promote development that respects the uniqueness of people and places. AAE supports the State Department’s policy objective of accelerating women’s economic participation and integrating gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in U.S. foreign policy.
How it works:
AAE is a global platform for stakeholders all along the artisan value chain that connects and expands market opportunities for artisan businesses and raises awareness about the economic and cultural importance of the artisan sector. AAE develops relationships with public and private sector leaders on the importance of the sector and encourages partnerships to address complex challenges. It links artisans and artisan support organizations to the platform, and campaigns to raise the visibility of and accessibility to artisan businesses. AAE also develops innovative solutions that address barriers impacting the artisan value chain to open doors for everyday artisans.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues; private sector partners including the Aspen Institute, Kiva, Walmart, the Coca Cola Company, Kate Spade “On Purpose,” and West Elm; and artisan support groups such as the International Folk Art Alliance, By Hand Consulting, Global Goods Partners, Gahaya Links, the West Foundation, and Sasa Designs by the Deaf.
Results:
• AAE hosted five international events to raise the visibility of the sector, including a showcase during the U.S.-African Leaders Summit and an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Workshop on Integrating SMEs into Global Supply Chains.
• In 2014, AAE launched an artisan value chain pilot project in the Philippines and Rwanda to investigate scalable, long-term solutions that address barriers for global artisan enterprise development. Results from these first in-country pilots will be leveraged to foster collaboration with multiple stakeholders to advance the global artisan sector.
• AAE also launched a $400,000 innovative financing program in partnership with Kiva to provide direct loans to small-scale artisan entrepreneurs around the world.
Learn more: http://www.allianceforartisanenterprise.org/
Did you know? PPPs share 5 key partnering principles for success:
• Equity
• Openness and Transparency
• Assuring Mutual Benefit
• Sharing of Risks and Rewards
• Accountability
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Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI)
About the partnership:
The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) is a coalition of 70 participating organizations aligned to reduce regulatory barriers and encourage policies to offer affordable access to both mobile and fixed-lined internet, particularly among women in developing countries. A4AI engages with stakeholders in a number of countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America including current engagements in Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, and the Dominican Republic. Expanding internet access facilitates broad-based economic growth and contributes to sustainable development, stability and prosperity in developing countries.
How it works:
Launched in 2013, A4AI leverages the financial resources and expertise of its members, develops original policy research, and convenes in-country coalition meetings to inform information and communications technology (ICT) policy and regulatory reforms. The Alliance’s activities are done in close collaboration with national governments.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs , USAID’s Global Development Lab, UKAid, Omidyar Network, Google, and other private, public, and non-profit sector partners.
For a full list of partners visit http://a4ai.org/members/.
Results:
• In its initial year, the Governments of the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Mozambique, and Nigeria signed MOUs with A4AI, signaling their commitment to market-based ICT policies and regulations that could benefit over 200 million people.
• To date, A4AI has facilitated 10 in-country “coalition” meetings to bring together hundreds of influential, local ICT stakeholders to develop reform recommendations tailored to local realities. For example, the A4AI-Ghana Coalition successfully advocated for the elimination of an import duty on all handsets, a tax that made up approximately 35% of the cost of a smartphone.
• A4AI has more than doubled its initial membership, going from 30 members in March 2014 to 70 presently. Members include innovative, private sector technology firms, a diverse range of governments and influential civil society organizations. A4AI members contribute their resources, expertise and influence to effectively advocate for progressive policy reform in national settings as well as in United Nations fora.
Learn more: http://a4ai.org/
Did you know? S/GP has a vetting unit! The unit services over 2,000 offices in DOS, both overseas and domestic. Vetting reports assist offices in determining whether there are any conflicts, the appearance of conflicts, or information that should be considered prior to entering into partnership with an outside entity.
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D.C. Greening Embassies Forum
About the partnership:
The D.C. Greening Embassies Forum is a pilot collaboration that leverages diplomacy to contribute to and drive sustainability in Washington, D.C. Formed in January 2012, the Forum serves as a platform for the diplomatic community to share best practices and challenges in reducing their environmental footprints and costs, as well as connect to the municipal government, NGOs, and the private sector. This initiative is based on the concept of “Eco-Diplomacy,” or the idea that diplomatic facilities can leverage their design, management, and operations to serve as tangible representations of environmental and economic policy goals.
How it works:
With members rotating hosting duties, the Forum conducts events and workshops with federal and local organizations, other embassies, and the private sector. The Forum covers topics such as efficient buildings and energy consumption, low carbon and high mileage transportation, water conservation and waste reduction, eco-purchasing and efficient IT utilization. Member embassies sign a sustainability pledge and work with the District to adhere to sustainability goals.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Institutions in D.C., Earth Day Network, World Bank, District Department of the Environment, Mayor of District of Columbia, Excel Academy Charter School, and many more.
Results:
• The Embassy of Finland was the first building in the U.S. to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest rating given by the U.S. Green Building Council for dedication to renewable, clean energy.,
• The first embassy in the world to receive LEED Platinum was the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki.
Learn more: 2009-2017.state.gov/green
What are the different types of partners? A resource partner brings financial support, vital know-how or other essential in-kind resources into a partnership. An implementing partner is typically funded by resource partners to conduct, manage, and/or implement partnership activities. State Department partners listed in this report can be both resource and implementing partners, leveraging our convening power, staff time and expertise, foreign assistance funds, and on-the-ground network around the world.
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Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, & Malaria
About the partnership:
Founded in 2002, the Global Fund’s mission is to accelerate the end of the AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as epidemics. The Global Fund raises and invests nearly US$4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 140 countries. The Global Fund and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a U.S. bilateral program, together account for over 90 percent of donor funding for HIV/AIDS in the world’s highest burden and lowest-resourced countries. The Global Fund advances the United States' global health mission to improve and save lives, lessen the burden of HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria, and strengthen sustainable health programs of countries around the world.
How it works:
The Global Fund has approved $24.3 billion in performance-based grants for nearly 600 programs in 150 countries. A board made up of private and public sector organizations manages the funds in each country, and the State Department manages the U.S. Government relationship with the Global Fund. The United States has pledged $1 for every $2 pledged to the Global Fund in 2014-2016, providing an incentive for other donors to pledge in a global effort. Private sector and other nongovernment donors are increasingly important contributors that broaden the donor base and help to ensure long-term sustainability.
Partners:
U.S. Department of State Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, USAID, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, PEPFAR, Peace Corps, and additional government, private sector and NGO partners.
For a full list of partners visit http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/partners/.
Learn more: http://www.theglobalfund.org/
Partnership vs. Procurement: Partnerships don’t just mean procurement. While procurement solely involves the acquisition of goods, or services from an external entity, partnerships are collaborative working relationships between public and private actors in which the goals, structure, roles and responsibilities of each partner are mutually determined and decision-making is shared.
PARTNERSHIP UPDATE
Veterans Innovation Partnership (VIP)
Last year’s report highlighted the Veterans Innovation Partnership (VIP), launched by Secretary Kerry in October 2013 to provide training and career opportunities in foreign affairs for American veterans through one-year fellowships at the State Department and other participating U.S. government agencies.
Progress:
Over the past year, the VIP fellowship has achieved a great deal. The State Department welcomed the inaugural class of VIP fellows in early 2015 and will open the second round of applications in spring 2015. The partnership added new partners General Motors and Mastercard to the effort, while numerous other private sector and academic organizations continue to express interest in joining the partnership to provide additional opportunities to future VIP fellows.
Partners: U.S. Department of State Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships, The Mission Continues, USAID, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Millennium Challenge Corporation, iRobot, General Motors, MasterCard, the University of Massachusetts, Boston University, and the University of Kansas.
Results:
• An inaugural class of 22 VIP fellows was selected out of a pool of over 1,200 applicants. The fellows have been placed on assignments in four participating offices within the U.S. Department of State.
• The first class of VIP fellows has served in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. One fellow received a Purple Heart Medal for his service, and others received Army Commendation Medals, Air Force Achievement Medals, and other recognitions.
• The first VIP fellows began in late December 2014, and January 2015. Each has already demonstrated their ability to have an immediate impact in their respective offices. The remaining fellows will start their assignments in spring 2015.
“This fellowship is already providing me the opportunities to learn, develop, and succeed, and I feel nothing but confident that my experiences throughout this year will serve to strengthen my transition into a career in diplomacy.”
—Albert Espinoza, VIP Fellow, Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships
Learn more: http://vipfellowship.org
PARTNERSHIPS TO WATCH
DREAMS: Adolescent Girls and Young Women’s Partnership
About The Partnership:
Launched on World AIDS Day 2014, the $210 million DREAMS Partnership is a public-private partnership that seeks to share resources, strengths, and experiences to drive change and impact for adolescent girls and young women, ensuring that they are Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS). The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will support $180 million in programming, focusing on the supply side of evidence-based quality programs designed to empower adolescent girls and young women and strengthen their families and communities. PEPFAR will use its infrastructure, programs, and networks to reach vulnerable females between ages 15-24. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will provide $25 million to support program implementation and evaluation, and the Nike Foundation will work with PEPFAR and the Gates Foundation as a global strategic partner, lending its expertise in girl-centered program design and approaches.
“Almost 60 percent of all new HIV infections among young people aged 15–24 occurred among adolescent girls and young women. We also know that in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women are more likely than their male counterparts to be living with HIV. The time to act is now, and the PEPFAR, Gates Foundation, Nike Foundation partnership will play a pivotal role in scaling up effective interventions that will save lives.”
—Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, M.D., U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.
Learn more: //2009-2017.pepfar.gov/partnerships/ppp/dreams/index.htm
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Vietnam Road Safety Program
About The Partnership:
The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi is currently establishing a public-private partnership with the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation for a road safety program to celebrate the 20th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations. Through this partnership, the will work to expand AIP Foundation’s pre-existing Helmets for Kids program, which provides much-needed safety training and equipment to primary school children and preschool children under six in Vietnam. The Helmet for Kids program will distribute 25,000 free motor-scooter helmets manufactured by Protec, a company owned by the AIP Foundation, through the Helmets for Kids program. The AIP Foundation and partner companies will conduct outreach to local schools in Hanoi, sponsor public events with schools in 16 provinces. Helmets for Kids was launched in Ho Chi Minh City in 2000 by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and in Hanoi by then-Senator John Kerry.
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P3 Impact Award
The Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships also highlights great public-private partnerships through the P3 Impact Award. The five finalists from last year are highlighted in the artwork above.
Learn more at //2009-2017.state.gov/s/partnerships/gpw/p3/
