The EHFF & Funding Partners

A framework for Co-Operation

Background

This brief document outlines how EHFF works with partners who provide unrestricted sustainable funding to contribute to EHFF’s strategic plan and annual work programme, and why this is important.

This partnership is not solely financial and focuses also on open and transparent dialogue and the exchange of independent views and positions between EHFF and these partners. This framework document also describes how this is undertaken in practice, without comprising either party.

The European Health Futures Forum (EHFF) is a European non-governmental organisation set up in 2013 as a network of networks at EU level, with the aim of identifying information about emerging patterns in health and healthcare. EHFF approaches health from a holistic viewpoint and focuses on the potential for transformational change through health, education and business working together.

Vision

EHFF’s vision involves the successful application of Foresight principles to health and healthcare, by creative thinking about possible futures, engaging society in debate and shaping innovation.

Mission

EHFF’s mission is to support actions leading to the improvement of the health of the citizens of Europe by creating an open interactive forum that is inclusive, open source, crosses disciplinary boundaries and engages citizens.

The need for a diversified portfolio of funding

EHFF is in its formative years. In order to meet our objectives we need to seek unrestricted support from industry to establish the EHFF infrastructure, build capacity and knowledge within our network, and develop policy influence through concerted action. This pump-priming is crucial in ensuring that the organisation can grow in order:

to have the capacity to undertake innovative projects consistent with its objectives.

to be pro-active in and respond effectively to an enlarging EU health agenda.

to effectively engage a growing audience through expansion of its web facilities.

to build strong relationships with other health stakeholders.

Industry funding would be one important component of a broader portfolio of funding. This diversified support from both the public and private arena will provide baseline resources to enable EHFF to fulfill its potential and it will aim to engage with a wide range of eligible partners.

Core principles in relation to funding

In order to make funding partnerships work in practice, to ensure the integrity of both the funder and EHFF is maintained, and to demonstrate to other stakeholders that our relationships are absolutely scrupulous, the following key principles underpin our acceptance of funding:

Independence

EHFF will maintain at all times a strong adherence to its guiding principles and values. The potential effect of EHFF’s relation to funders (either private or public) will never be a relevant factor in EHFF’s policy development and decision-making process.

Mutual Respect

EHFF and our sustainable funding partners undertake to cooperate on a basis of mutual respect as fellow stakeholders in healthcare systems and delivery.

Unrestricted

Funding received by EHFF for our operational programme to fulfill our vision and mission should be unrestricted in nature, to contribute to the overall work programme to fulfill our strategic goals and objectives. EHFF will however lead and/ or cooperate in specific projects funded by the European Commission and other public sources, where these are in accordance with our policy and criteria for getting involved in projects.

Sustainable

The funding support provided by partners should, wherever possible be part of a long term commitment to funding (ideally a minimum of three years) supported by a written agreement. The funding support may also be allocated to building reasonable reserves for EHFF to ensure the sustainability of the organisation

No Single Company/ Governmental Source

EHFF events should aim to be supported with an unrestricted grant by more than one company, and/ or government; or the European Commission or a Federation composed of several companies. The content of such events should be developed by an independent EHFF working group of members established for the purpose.

Transparency

A written agreement between the funder and EHFF outlines the nature and amount of the funding and the period covered.The funding sources will be acknowledged with thanks on relevant publications linked to an event. The amount of funding received and the sources are included in the EHFF Annual Report and published separately on the EHFF website within one month of the Annual Audited Accounts being approved by the Annual General Meeting of the following year.

Funding from the Pharmaceutical Industry

EHFF will apply the EFPIA Code of Good Practice on working with NGOs in relation to any funding received from the pharmaceutical industry whilst also building in the above principles adopted, and other relevant European codes. EHFF will ensure that the funding received from one single company will be proportional to the overall budget and reflect our commitment to diversity of funding sources.

Dialogue with Sustainable Partners

In order to ensure and promote open and transparent dialogue to share respective views and perspectives on issues of common interest and that advance our mission, EHFF undertakes to:

Give access to the EHFF wiki to funding partners, as fellow stakeholders in EU health debates
Hold an Annual Funders’ Event to which partners share information with EHFF board and staff members on EHFF’s progress during the preceding year and core challenges, and our direction for the following year
Engage in dialogue on current EU health policy issues
Be present at specific company/ federation/ governmental/ Commission events on request to outline EHFF‘s position on one of its policy priority areas
Invite funding partners to EHFF events as they occur