TrustAfrica and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are pleased to announce the second round of grant competition for Phase II of research on the investment climate and business environment in Africa.
The following three categories of grants will be awarded following an open, competitive process:
(1) Small Grants: up to US$10,000
(2) Intermediate Grants: above US$10,000 but not exceeding US$50,000
(3) Large Grants: above US$50,000 but not exceeding US$100,000
Large grants are exclusively reserved for cross-border or sub-regional or regional research projects, so as to add a comparative dimension to the results. The research team must include a qualified researcher from each of the countries included in the project.
Priority will be given to applied, innovative and policy-oriented proposals that can shed light on factors that shape African SMEs business environment.
Strong proposals will provide (i) a clearly defined problem statement that directly relates to the objectives of the ICBE Research Fund, (ii) a concise justification or rationale, (iii) a coherent presentation of the objectives, (iv) a rigorous methodology, (v) a detailed explanation of expected impacts and outcomes, and (vi) a dissemination strategy.
The Fund is interested in supporting collaborations with larger organizations in order to contribute to existing research on relevant themes. We are particularly interested in research proposals that directly involve the private sector or institutions linked to policy making, such as relevant government agencies or departments like Investment Promotion Agencies. These joint ventures are what we refer to as ―partners‖ in the application form.
Application Requirements:
Incomplete applications will not be considered. All of the supporting documents listed below must be submitted as file attachments in Microsoft Word format, with the exception of scanned documents. Any information sent in the body of an email will not be part of the proposal and will not be considered during adjudication. Please do not hesitate to contact the ICBE secretariat for further information before the expiry date.
• A fully completed ICBE Research Fund 2011 Application Form, downloadable from www.trustafrica.org/icbe. All sections of the application form must be filled in for the proposal to be eligible. Application forms should be kept in their original Microsoft Word format.
• A cover letter providing a concise statement about the purpose of the project and the amount of the funding requested, and a statement on your honor about the originality of proposed research. It should be not more than one page.
• A detailed budget (follow strictly the sample budget summary and justification in annex).
• A file with a list of names and contact details of all members of the research team.
• A single file with short CVs of all members of the research team (at most two pages for each member), briefly indicating their capacity to successfully carry out the research.
• A file with a list of the members, affiliations and contact details of the Board of Trustees or Directors.
• A fully developed proposal (including an abstract), besides the application form.
• Letter of institutional endorsement certifying that the institution will serve as an intermediary for grant disbursement as well as a signatory for verification of expenditures and the quality of research.
• Registration certificate of the institution.
• Budget of the institution and report of audited accounts for the last two years (2009 and 2010).
Eligibility:
The ICBE Research Fund grant competition is opened to researchers in African universities, business schools, private or public institutions, investment and export promotion agencies, manufacturers associations, employers or trade associations, business membership organizations and independent research institutions1. However, grantees of the ICBE Research Fund, who have not received a formal letter closing their previous grant, are ineligible. This applies to all members of the research team and not only to the principal investigator.
Proposal language:
Proposals may be submitted in French or English, using the corresponding application form.
Application Submission and Deadline:
Proposals must be submitted to the ICBE secretariat by email only at: icbe@trustafrica.org.
The deadline for submission of proposals is July 29, 2011 (17:00 GMT).
Researchers are strongly advised to submit proposals well before the deadline so that ICBE staff can review the proposal and, time allowing, notify them of any omissions.
Late submissions will not be considered.
Source: 2011 ICBE Research Fund for African Researchers (http://www.trustafrica.org/documents/ICBE_Call_for_Proposals_2011_EN.pdf).