Overview
The International Cancer Control Partnership (ICCP) ECHO Program seeks to support national cancer control plan implementation through development of a virtual community of practice using the Project ECHO technology-enabled collaborative learning model.  The ICCP ECHO Program convenes countries in the implementation stage of their national cancer control plan, bringing together country-level National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) implementation teams and global cancer control experts in a bi-directional learning environment through monthly hour-long ECHO sessions.  The curriculum is developed based on topics identified by country teams as key areas of technical need in cancer control plan implementation (e.g., scaling up evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions, costing the national cancer control plan, strategies for prioritizing cancer prevention and control activities, etc.).  Each session includes a case presentation by one of the participating country teams, a didactic presentation by an expert on a technical topic, and a group discussion. Program outcomes are measured through a pre-post survey method, which also assists in tracking knowledge acquisition and responding to changing country team needs over the course of the ICCP ECHO Program. The 2021 ICCP ECHO Program cohort will kick off in October 2021.

Call for Applications
The ICCP ECHO Program is currently accepting applications from country-level National Cancer Control Plan implementation teams who are mandated to support implementation of the NCCP in their countries.  The eligibility criteria for participation are as follows:

1. Participation in the ICCP ECHO Program is open to country-level National Cancer Control Plan implementation teams (applicants) from low- and middle-income countries (as defined by the World Bank country classification*) who are actively implementing a National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) in their country (one team per country). Each team should be multi-sectoral where possible, with up to a maximum of five (5) members for the purposes of ECHO participation.
2. Applicants will confirm via letter of commitment that they have Government/Ministry of Health support for their country's involvement in the ICCP ECHO. Active participation from Government/Ministry of Health cancer focal points is highly recommended. Sample letter of commitment available upon request.
3. Priority will be given to applicants from LMIC countries with a current National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP), with plans in place and Government mandate for implementation of the NCCP.
4. Applicants will confirm that they have institutional commitment, including time permission, for participation in the ECHO through the ICCP ECHO Program Statement of Collaboration**.
5. Applicants will commit to a minimum of one-year (12 sessions) participation in the ECHO. Time commitment per month is 2-3 hours (est.). This includes participation in the 1-hour monthly ECHO session, and pre-session country team preparation time.

Application Process
The ICCP welcomes all eligible country-level NCCP implementation teams to complete the online application form for the ICCP ECHO Program (one team per country).  The questions in this form are not intended to be a merit assessment. They are intended to help the ICCP ECHO planning team become familiar with in-country cancer control plan implementation activities to best design the curriculum to suit country teams’ current situations.  The ICCP ECHO planning team will review all applications, follow up with any questions, and will notify applicant teams of acceptance.  Upon acceptance into the ICCP ECHO, country team applicants will receive a Statement of Collaboration** to sign and return, indicating confirmation of enrollment into the ECHO program (each individual in the team will be asked to sign a Statement Collaboration).  Prior to the start of the ICCP ECHO Program, country teams will receive the curriculum documents, session schedule, participant list, and invitation to complete the baseline evaluation survey and participate in the baseline focus group discussion.  

Application submissions: May 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021
Program start date: October 2021

Questions/Inquiries
Contact Mishka K. Cira, mishka.cira@nih.gov

[*Link to World Bank Country Classification Page: https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519.]

[**Statement of Collaboration includes commitment to participate for a minimum of one year (12 sessions), willingness to give a case presentation, agreement to complete program evaluation (baseline, midpoint, and endpoint survey).]