CO-506141 The Response Innovation Lab (RIL) aims to generate context-appropriate innovation by creating local and international collaborationamongst humanitarian leading actors in Gaza. The RIL will be piloted in Gaza for one year. The RIL’s mission is to initiate an enabling environment for innovations and relevant learning among the different actors during year one. The RIL will be evaluated by the end of year one to inform its scalability in the following years and the needed resources to ensure its sustainability. The longer-term vision of the RIL is creating a separate, resourced sustainable entity, hosted by Oxfam, linked with its humanitarian programs, and composed of several implementers of humanitarian response and holders of innovative solutions. This entity will maintain the links with other humanitarian actors for widespread learning.
Activities
1. Hire RIL Coordinator: Oxfam humanitarian program manager will develop a ToR to hire a qualified Lab coordinator with the required capacity (i.e., coordination skills, research, data analysis,proposal development, business development, etc.). The Coordinator should also have a good understanding of the humanitarian sectorand innovative programming within the sector. Under the line management of the humanitarian program manager in Gaza, the Coordinator will be working closely with the broader program teams in Gaza supported by Oxfam’s Funding and Support teams.
2. Stakeholders andActors Mapping: With the Global RIL's technical support, Oxfam will carry out a mapping exercise to identify stakeholders (i.e., academic institutions, UN Agencies, I/NGOs, etc.) conducting/piloting or planning innovative humanitarian initiatives. The mapping will help enhance coordination and create connections between implementers of humanitarian response and the holders of innovative solutions in and out of the country. The mapping will explore potential partnerships and will also enhance coordination among partners. The mapping tool will be developed in coordination with the Global RIL who conducted several mapping exercises, including recently inYemen.
3. Coordination meetings: The Coordinator will communicate effectively with possible actors with developed initiatives/ideasand seek funding to implement them. Led by theRIL Coordinator, regular coordination and information sharing meetings will be held over the year. UN agencies, NGOs and Governmental bodies will be invited to participate in the discussions.
4. Capacity Building: During the implementation period, specific technical trainings on innovation will be conducted to build the capacity of the team to develop innovative ideas. A capacity needs assessment will be conducted to identify the training and knowledge needs of the RIL Coordinator, Oxfam’s humanitarian team, holders of innovative solutions and potential partners. The capacity building will be tailored and conducted as needed to support the development of innovative ideas and initiatives. The capacity building/trainings and coaching maybe conducted faceto face or remotely. The training may be conducted by external experts/trainers and/or international advisors covering the needs of innovators to support them in developing their ideas mainly in agriculture and water sectors. OBE’s “Innovate to Feed” program will technically support the capacity building if needed.
5. Donor mapping and engagement plan: in close collaboration with the OPT Funding Team, the RIL Coordinator - supported by the humanitarian team - a donors’ mapping and engagement plan will be developed. The mapping and the plan will identify potential funding opportunities to mobilize funding to pilot/implement innovative ideas. The donor engagement plan will also identify and explore the support of Oxfam Affiliates in mobilizing internal funds (discretionary funds) and funding from institutional donors, the private sector, etc. Oxfam OPT CO will mobilize funding through ONL’s and OGB’s relevant internal innovation funds including through OGB’s access to its SIDA funding through its Humanitarian Partnership Agreement and through ELRHA, etc. Oxfam CO will mobilize efforts and resources to integrate these ideas in regular humanitarian proposals as pilot interventions. Oxfam has been successful in moblising funding for specific innovative ideasintegrated in its regular humanitarian bid submissions and funded projects.
6. Develop Concept notes: based on the donor engagement plan and identified innovative pilot initiatives/ideas, concept notes (including synthetic budgets) introduced by Oxfam’steams and/or partners will be developed and documented.
7. Donor engagement visits: Concept notes will be pitched to identified donors to engage with them and mobilize potential funding.
8. Learning event: depending on available resources, ideas, and actors' interests, Oxfam will conduct a learning event to exchange learning among relevant (national/international) stakeholders and partners and strengthen connections and relationships between actors and the interested/potential donors. The activity is linked to Output 2 where interested actors will be invited to present pilot innovative projects, innovative ideas and challenges. Oxfam will invite relevant stakeholders to participate in the learning event (e.g. humanitarian responders, private sector, entrepreneurs, experts, research and academic institutions, NGOs, UN agencies and donors).
9. Review: Oxfam will use different tools to organize a review with RIL partners at the end of year 1. The progress and achievement of the RIL in Gaza will be reviewed, including the innovative ideas developed and potential funding avenues.  Thereview will focus on what worked, what did not work and what could be improved.  The review will help draw and document lessons learned, recommendations and suggestions to informthe planning for year 2 of the RIL, including resource mobilization strategies. Finally, findings and recommendations will be communicated and discussed with wider stakeholders, including the Global RIL and interesteddonors. This review process willbe documented in writing in a learning report and shared with Oxfam country office and Partner Affiliates involved.