Request for Proposals: Small Grants to Support Research in Family Planning and Reproductive Health
Small grants program to support research in family planning and reproductive health
MEASURE Evaluation Population & Reproductive Health Associate Award (PRH) is pleased to announce a small grants program to build the evidence base in family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH), support the research efforts of developing country researchers and their institutions, and maximize opportunities to use research findings for decision-making.
The small grants are intended to support primary and secondary data analysis, especially program or policy evaluation, and data use activities based on research findings. Small grant recipients are expected to produce a publishable manuscript and complete a data use activity.
Inquiries and Application Submission
Additional USAID Tier One Countries
Eligibility
Eligible candidates must be seeking to build the research and/or data use capacity in country or regional academic institutions or centers, non-profit or for-profit research organizations, parastatal or non-governmental organizations in MEASURE Evaluation PRH priority countries and USAID Tier One countries.
Eligible research proposals will respond to a question of interest to stakeholders in the country or region being studied with appropriate and rigorous methods. Proposals should also include data use activities and/or products that help ensure the use of research findings by appropriate stakeholders, which may include: the development of a short briefing paper with recommendations and a presentation of the key actionable findings from the analysis; holding a workshop for policymakers and/or program decision makers to discuss key findings and the implication of these findings for policies and programs; etc.
Eligible proposals should be comprised of a team of at least two people, and particularly for the data use activities, are encouraged to include individuals not typically involved in the research process (policy advocates, program implementers, knowledge management specialists, community leaders, women’s groups, etc.).
Small Grants Awards
The base amount for a small grant is US$5000, which is intended to cover basic research expenses. However, the total amount of the grant will be based on proposed budgets and is expected to be higher, so as to cover the costs of the planned data use activities. Additional funding may also be provided for research projects that include supplementary data collection. Travel to national or regional conferences to present the research findings may also be requested.
Final working papers will be due no later than December 31, 2010 and will be made available on the MEASURE Evaluation PRH Web site. Deadlines for data use activities will be negotiated on a case by case basis. Proposals will be assigned a technical advisor at MEASURE Evaluation who will provide technical assistance for data analysis, editing drafts, and/or data utilization, as needed.
Special technical assistance will be available to proposals that include the use of mapping or spatial analysis and applicants are encouraged to include the use of geographic tools and data in their work. Funding for the technical assistance will be covered separately by MEASURE Evaluation PRH.
Application Procedure
To apply, please submit a 2-3 page summary clearly outlining the research questions, scope of analysis, description of dataset, key opportunities for using the study findings to inform programs or policy, and strategies for facilitating the use of study findings. Proposals should also be submitted with a brief cover letter, budget, the curriculum vitae of key personnel, and names of three references.
Proposals are due by December 31, 2009. Short-listed candidates will be notified by February 1, 2010 and requested to submit a detailed research proposal (5-10 pages) with the following sections — background, methods, analysis, and plan for using findings to inform programmatic and/or policy decision-making. This detailed proposal will be due by March 1, 2010. Selected candidates will be notified no later than April 1, 2010. Selected candidates will be required to submit proof of institutional or country IRB review and approval if applicable.
Suggested Topics
- Reaching underserved populations (e.g. addressing FP/RH needs of youth and adolescents; the poor; displaced populations; etc.)
- Evaluation of FP/RH programs or policies (e.g. community-based distribution, contraceptive security, long-acting & permanent methods (LAPM), etc.)
- FP/MCH or FP/HIV service integration (e.g. post-partum FP, Post-abortion care, immunization services; PMTCT services, etc.)
Population-Environment integration - Healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies (HTSP) tools & approaches
- Addressing gender in FP/RH
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be assessed on:
- The degree to which the proposal demonstrates a conceptual understanding of FP/RH research and the related literature.
- A good fit between the research question(s) and proposed data to be employed in the study.
- The degree to which the proposed research methods are appropriate and rigorous.
- Evidence that the research findings are needed for program or policy decision-making at the country, regional, or international level and/or will make a significant contribution to the existing literature on international FP/RH.
- The ability of the research to inform practice and policy for underserved populations.
- The relevance of the proposed work to current and future public policy discussions regarding FP/RH.
- Prior experience working with proposed (or similar) data.
- The feasibility and appropriateness of data use activities to the proposed research question.
- The degree to which the small grant will build on the current capacity of the organization to conduct research and encourage data use.
MEASURE Evaluation PRH Priority Countries
India (Uttar Pradesh)
Pakistan
Nigeria
Ethiopia
Democratic Republic of Congo
Rwanda
Tanzania
Uganda
Kenya
Malawi
Madagascar
Haiti
Zambia
Additional USAID Tier One Countries
Bangladesh
Afghanistan
Yemen
Mali
Philippines
Senegal
Mozambique
Ghana
Guatemala
Bolivia
Liberia
Russia
Ukraine
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Albania
Inquiries and Application Submission
Please send inquiries and applications to:
Janine Barden-O’Fallon, Project Director
MEASURE Evaluation PRH
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
206 W. Franklin St. CB#8120
Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
Email: bardenof@email.unc.edu
Fax: +1 919-966-2391
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MEASURE Evaluation is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The information provided on this Web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not necessarily represent the views of USAID or the U.S. Government. |
