Request for Proposals: Travel Grants Program

Objectives

• To provide opportunities to qualified Southeast Asian nationals to participate and present papers in attain-relevant scientific conferences and fora, locally or internationally.
• Priority will be given to paper presentations, but poster presentations may be considered depending on the volume of applications.
• To promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge/information vital to agricultural innovation.
• To provide the Grantee a venue to discuss with other scientists, researchers, university faculty, and scholars about recent developments in their respective disciplines.
• To facilitate linkages, partnerships, and active collaboration between SEARCA, or the applicant’s home institution, with other development organizations and donors.
• To produce articles or any publication out of the Grantee’s presented paper, whenever appropriate and feasible.

Funding Information

• Up to a maximum of USD 1,200.

Eligible Costs

• Face to Face
  • Event registration fees and materials
  • Airfare
  • Accommodation/Board and Lodging
  • Local Transportation
  • Meals not covered by the event
  • Visa application
• Online
  • Event registration fees and materials

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants who will present scientific papers in international or local scientific conferences and fora, either via face-to-face or online mode, are qualified for the grant. On a case-to-case basis, paper presentations may not be required if attendance to a conference/forum is expected to result in establishing formal linkages, partnerships, collaborations, and strong development impacts to the Center.
• Priority 1-Priority shall be given to the following:
  • SEARCA fellows (senior, adjunct, and visiting fellows);
  • SEARCA Graduate scholarship alumni;
  • Researchers of SEARCA-implemented/coordinated projects;
  • SFRT grantees;
  • Proponents from the University Consortium (faculty, staff, and graduate students);
  • SEARCA ongoing scholars;
  • Faculty and staff of universities under the SEARCA’s Institutional Development Assistance Program.
• Priority 2: Applicants who are citizens of Southeast Asian countries who are regular staff members of non-profit development-oriented institutions or graduate students at other agricultural universities in the Region may be considered if not enough qualified applications under Priority 1 have been received.
• At present, only citizens from the following countries are qualified to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

Selection Criteria

• Agri-Business Models for Increased Productivity and Income
• Sustainable Farming Systems and Natural Resource Management
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Transformational Leadership for Agricultural and Rural Development (ARD)
• Gender and Youth Engagement in ARD
• Enhanced ARD towards Climate Resilience
• EcoHealth/One Health Applications to ARD

Application Requirements

• A letter expressing interest to avail of the grant
• A recommendation letter from the immediate head/supervisor/major professor of the applicant, if applicable;
• A two-page summary (single-spaced; A4 sheet) of the paper for presentation to the conference;
• A copy of the conference organizer’s letter of acceptance of the paper for presentation;
• A copy of the conference program;
• The estimated budget for participation;
• A proof/copy of award of funding support from other organization(s) if travel is beyond Southeast Asia; and
• The applicant’s curriculum vitae.
• Post-Event Requirements
• The grantee must submit the following post-event requirements to SEARCA through the Grants Information System within seven (7) days after the conference/fora:
  • Travel report highlighting observations, learning, and recommendations;
  • Publishable version of the scientific paper presented;
  • A copy of the presentation (PowerPoint file);
  • A short news article about the highlights of the conference/forum and the grantee’s presentation;
  • Detailed expense report together with original copies of plane ticket, boarding passes, and official receipts.

For more information, visit SEAMEO SEARCA.