RFAs: African Researcher’s Small Grants Program

Through the Ending Tropical Diseases through Operational Research cooperative agreement funded by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), SGP VII aims to provide support to African research scientists to contribute to control and elimination agenda of neglected tropical disease (NTD) by addressing operational and other programmatic challenges through operational and implementation research portfolios. Research studies to be supported will be aligned with the goals established in the WHO 2030 NTD Roadmap.

This request for applications (RFA) is targeted at outstanding researchers and academics based in research institutions or universities in Africa. Applicants will have to demonstrate that the proposed research or activity is aligned with their country’s NTD program interests and has potential institutional and individual capacity-building impact. The early-career grants target researchers who are at the early phase of their research career, while the mid-career grants target previous SGP grantees (SGP I-VI) who have demonstrated excellence in the conduct of their previous award and are seeking opportunities to continue/expand and or conduct more advanced research within the scope of this RFA.

Applications from all qualified researchers who have taken career breaks due to health conditions and/or family demands are also encouraged.

Objectives

• To increase African leadership, involvement, and visibility in NTD operational and implementation research, including through direct engagement with national NTD programs;
• To contribute to improving the research capacity of African NTD researchers and strengthening African research institutions in the process by supporting operational and implementation research on NTDs that is locally originated and African-led;
• To provide an opportunity for young upcoming researchers not only to gain experience in research, but also in preparation of grant applications and management;
• To supplement a clearly defined aspect of ongoing research or to answer a new question linked to ongoing research being carried out by mid-career researchers;
• To improve South-South communication and collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and implementers, and for community participation in research and agenda-setting;
• To encourage a North-South collaboration model that facilitates productive engagement between researchers and NTD control programs, while promoting local leadership and ownership of initiatives and activities.

Categories

• Early-Career Grants
• Mid-Career Grants

Funding Information

• Early-Career Grants:
  • Maximum funding per grant: USD 30,000.
• Mid-Career Grants:
  • Maximum funding per grant: USD 70,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Early-Career Grants:
  • Must be an early-career researcher, defined as a basic biomedical scientist, clinically qualified investigator, or public health researcher, who has not previously successfully completed an SGP research grant as principal investigator for a grant worth at least USD 100,000.
  • Must hold at least a Master’s degree or should be actively enrolled in doctoral studies. Applicants holding a doctoral degree (e.g. Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Public Health, Doctor of Sciences) must have graduated within the last five years. Doctoral degree holders who have taken career breaks due to health or family responsibilities will have this period of absence from research considered during the 5 years’ eligibility criteria. Clinicians (e.g. Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; Doctor of Medicine; Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) who have not completed a Master’s degree must have some specialist training (e.g., Membership, Fellowship) or be able to demonstrate relevant research training/experience.
  • Must not currently hold a position as an associate Professor, its equivalent, or higher.
  • Must be able to provide written evidence of commitment for mentorship and supervision from a senior researcher with a track record and ongoing commitment to NTD research.
  • All applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed, and all unsolicited attachments will not be considered.
• Mid-Career Grants:
  • Must be a mid-career researcher defined as a basic biomedical scientist, clinically qualified investigator, or public health researcher, who has previously successfully completed an SGP research grant as principal investigator.
  • Must hold a doctoral degree (e.g. Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Public Health, Doctor of Sciences). Clinicians (e.g. Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; Doctor of Medicine; Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) who have not completed a PhD must have completed specialist training (e.g., Fellowship) or be able to demonstrate relevant training tied to research (e.g., Master of Science, Master of Philosophy) or experience, but must be no more than fifteen years from their highest degree of study.
  • Must demonstrate that the intended project is a clearly defined aspect of ongoing research or aimed at answering a new question linked to ongoing research.
  • Applicants may pursue a disease, research question, or discipline different from their previous SGP award,
  • All applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed, and all unsolicited attachments will not be considered.

For more information, visit ARNTD.