Grant: Planning Grants - Priority Announcement: Improve Health and Health Equity

In many countries throughout the world, including developed nations (such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada), as well as lower and middle income countries (LMIC, such as Indonesia), not-for-profit, community groups are among the main providers of comprehensive primary health care for those who live in marginalizing circumstances (those living in poverty, with mental illnesses, with disabilities, those who live on the street or close to the street, refugees and immigrants, those living with language barriers, indigenous peoples, those living with HIV, those who are geographically marginalized, etc.). These groups deliver essential primary health care (PHC) services, typically do so as the primary/only provider and operate from a base of fragmented funding contracts. The Contracting at the Margins Working Group is an international network of researchers working in partnership with non-government health service providers and indigenous health providers. The Working Group was created in 2007, and has operated informally since, meeting once a year. This network has already resulted in 3 publications. The purpose of this proposal is to seek funding to support a two day meeting, in order to aid in forging essential international relationships and develop an international program of research that spans international borders, focused on (1) documenting the experience of providers engaged in meeting the PHC needs of individuals living in marginalizing circumstances; (2) developing pragmatic solutions to assist government and funders in streamlining funding strategies to promote efficiency and outcomes; and (3) expanding contract theory to include the perspective and experience of providers who deliver essential PHC while funded through a patchwork of funding.