Project profile — Fund for Innovation and Transformation - FIT

• Africa, regional (48.62%)
• America, regional (25.69%)
• Asia, regional (25.69%)

• Other Multisector: Multisector aid (43010) (100.00%)

• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)

The project aims to advance the use of, and learning from, innovative solutions to global development challenges proposed by Canadian small and medium organizations (SMOs). The project funds the testing of promising and innovative solutions that seek to improve the lives, equality and empowerment of vulnerable women, adolescent girls and younger girls, their families and communities, in developing countries. The Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT) works to support SMOs in their learning process, increase their capacity to measure results, disseminate learning and facilitate knowledge exchange. The FIT also aims to enable organizations to test an innovative solution that can be quick to implement, and for which they can collect data and determine results in a short period of time.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improve delivery and testing of innovative solutions by Canadian SMOs that reduce poverty, advance gender equality and empower women and girls; and (2) enhance the generation and demonstration of evidence and learning from inclusive, innovative solutions to international development challenges by Canadian SMOs, particularly those that aim to empower women and girls and close gender gaps. At the end of the projet, the fund aims to support 50-70 innovations tested by Canadian SMOs.

Results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) 42 Canadian small and medium organisations (SMOs) funded to test promising solutions in 29 countries—18 of which completed testing during the year. The solutions related to agriculture, education, health and nutrition, the environment, water supply, sanitation and hygiene, social justice and human rights. All of the solutions tested focused on gender equality; (2) In close partnership with local partners, Canadian SMOs tested their innovative solutions, gathered evidence, adapted and improved. Successfully tested solutions include self-collection of samples at home by women. It is an effective way of increasing screening for human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. It also improves sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Another successfully tested solution was inclusive music therapy. This type of therapy helps women and girl survivors of sexual violence recover from their traumas and reintegrate back into the community; (3) developed online references and learning materials to support the improved delivery and testing of innovative solutions by SMOs and their partners; (4) in a mid-term survey of Canadian SMOs and other development stakeholders, 85% of respondents indicated that they used the knowledge gained through FIT in their international development programming; (5) 92% of total funded SMOs found the learning content helpful in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through gender responsive and transformative programming; and (6) exceeded annual target for public engagement through content interactions about innovative solutions to a global issue related to gender equality and sustainable development goals.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: Fund for Innovation and Transformation - FIT