The United States Agency for International Development Grant 2011

Deadline: 30 November 2011
Open to: Applicants from developing countries (the list of countries can be found below)
Grant: $30,000 to $50,000 per year for one to three years, a few larger and more complex projects $100,000 per year for up to three years

Description

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is exploring new opportunities to use science and technology to meet the world’s development challenges. As part of its science and technology strategy, USAID is developing mechanisms to leverage the investments that other U.S. government agencies make in scientific research and training. Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between USAID and the National Science Foundation (NSF), the two agencies implemented a pilot program to assess the potential for USAID-funded collaborative research projects. Based on the program’s success, USAID and NSF are now pleased to announce the launching of a new and broader program called Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER). This competitive grants program will allow scientists in developing countries to apply for funds to support research and capacity-building activities in partnership with their NSF-funded collaborators on topics of importance to USAID. Areas in which both NSF and USAID have strong mutual interests include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Food security topics such as agricultural development, fisheries, and plant genomics
• Global health issues such as ecology of infectious disease, biomedical engineering, and natural/human system interactions
• Climate change impacts such as water sustainability, hydrology, ocean acidification, climate process and modeling, and environmental engineering
• Other development topics including disaster mitigation, biodiversity, water, and renewable energy

Project proposal

When writing their proposals, developing country applicants should consider how their research will contribute to USAID’s development objectives. Additionally, collaborative projects involving multiple developing countries to explore regional issues related to these development projects are encouraged. Pending the availability of funds and the receipt of meritorious proposals, the majority of the PEER funding will be awarded to projects related to the USAID development areas of interest specified above. In addition to projects in these global areas of interest, which may be based in any eligible country, the program encourages projects in the following three specific countries:

• Indonesia: research projects in any technical area supported under PEER. Projects should be consistent with the objectives of USAID/Indonesia (click here) and should also contribute to USAID/Indonesia’s higher education objectives by addressing one or more of the following:

1. Improving instructional delivery through better teaching methods and more relevant curricula in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field;
2. Enhancing research skills and methods in a STEM field;
3. Building quality extension services that engage external stakeholders on topics related to STEM.

• Lebanon: research projects in any technical area, particularly those that promote the participation of female scientists, involve large collaborations that include graduate students, and contribute to the strategic development objectives of Lebanon and the USAID mission (see here).

• Philippines: research projects that support biodiversity conservation and improved natural resource management while contributing to the development objectives of USAID/Philippines (see here).

Grant

The number of awards is dependent on the quality of the proposals received and subject to the availability of funds. Budget requests should be developed commensurate with the support needed to implement the project goals. The primary objective of PEER is to support joint research projects of one to three years in duration, with release of each funding increment contingent on the project meeting annual financial and technical reporting requirements. Awards are anticipated to range in size from $30,000 to $50,000 per year for one to three years. A few larger and more complex projects may receive up to $100,000 per year for up to three years. Applicants whose requests would fall outside of this range are encouraged to discuss their projects with PEER staff (peer@nas.edu) prior to proposal submission.

Eligibility

Principal investigators (PIs) submitting proposals to PEER must be affiliated with and based at an academic, non-profit, or government-managed research institution in a developing country  on the PEER-eligible country list (the list of eligible developing countries can be found here). Researchers from non-eligible countries and employees of for-profit firms in PEER-eligible countries may participate in projects using their own resources but are not permitted to serve as principal investigators, as PEER grants will not be issued to such organizations. Proposals are not accepted from U.S. researchers. Developing country PIs who apply should either be actively engaged in or plan to be engaged in a collaborative research project with an NSF-funded U.S. researcher. Developing country scientists without existing partners are encouraged to search NSF’s public database of awards to identify potential U.S. collaborators (click here to search for it). Please review the Frequently Asked Questions (found here) section of the program Web site for additional details, or e-mail peer@nas.edu with other eligibility questions.

How to apply?

In order to apply, you need to submit the following documents:

The text of the proposals should be in single-spaced 12-point type. Tables and lists in the project description may be in smaller but readable type. Specific instructions on all sections of the required proposal form are presented below. Successful proposals will address the program’s objectives and selection criteria listed in the program announcement and will include clear statements of the project goals and explanations of how these goals will be achieved.

1.) Cover Sheet. In the indicated space below the project title, please note the field and subfield of the proposed project: for example, “Environment – water resources,” “Energy – solar cells,” “Engineering – hazard mitigation.” Note the expected duration (ranging from one to three years). List the principal investigator (the individual researcher who will be responsible for leading the project) and provide the requested information about his or her institution. If selected for funding, all developing country institutions must have a DUNS number (available online here) and must be registered with Central Contractor Registration (website), but it is not necessary to obtain these registrations at the time the proposal is submitted. List the duration of your project (from one to three years) and the proposed start date, which should be no earlier than March 1, 2012. All applications must list a U.S. collaborator and provide the title and award number of his or her NSF grant, which must be active through the duration of the project being proposed. The cover sheet must be signed by both the principal investigator and an official at his or her institution who is authorized to commit the institution to accept responsibility for carrying out the project and managing any funds awarded. Grants will be made only to institutions, so individuals who have no institutional affiliation or whose institutions are not willing to accept and manage a grant for them are not eligible to apply. Principal investigators may submit only one proposal in any one application cycle of the PEER program.

2.) Project Summary. This summary must not exceed one page and should be written so that a non-technical audience can understand it. It should briefly and clearly state the goals of the project and the proposed activities that will be carried out to achieve them. The summary should also explain the role of the proposed U.S. collaborator and describe the anticipated outcomes of the project, including scientific and technical aspects as well as development-related impacts. In describing these impacts, the specific focus should be on how the project relates to USAID’s programmatic interests.

3.) Project Description. The project description (sections 3.a through 3.l can be displayed here) is limited to the equivalent of 10 printed pages, including any figures, tables, charts, or references you may choose to include. All applicants must use the standard proposal format provided. The project description should be prepared with reference to the review criteria and the guidance provided in this and the preceding sections of this solicitation. Incomplete proposals and those not submitted in the required format will not be considered.

In addition to the completed proposal form, please also include the items (CV and letters of support) which can be found on this website.

Proposals should be submitted electronically to peer@nas.edu by 11:59 PM (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) on November 30, 2011, preferably in one PDF file including the application form (can be downloaded from this website)  and all additional required documents.

Contacts

Applicants who have questions after reviewing these materials are encouraged to contact PEER staff by e-mail at peer@nas.edu or by telephone at +1-202-334-3656 or +1-202-334-1728.
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