Ideas for Action is a knowledge platform of the World Bank Group and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the Wharton School. The annual Ideas for Action competition seeks innovative ideas and actionable projects to support the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Past winners include water solutions for better fish farm yields, women-led business models to improve sustainable access to energy, web based solutions for agriculture processes, and many more. Teams must consist of two to six members and may be formed across different schools, institutions, companies, or countries. Students and young professionals between the ages of 18-35 years from around the world are invited to participate. The winners of the competition present their ideas at the annual meeting of the World Bank Group, receive support from a project incubator and coaching. The deadline for submissions is 29 February 2020. Ideas for Action
Ilka Westermeyer
WWF in India — Small Grants Innovation Program
WWF-India offers grants up to INR400 thousand for conservation research or action projects of up to two years. Grants are made to individuals to be utilized primarily for field activities. Priority is for research and conservation aligned with WWF’s program in India. The last date for submission of applications is 30 April 2020 (for the June term). About the program
U.S. National Science Foundation — Geography and Spatial Sciences Program 2020
The NSF funds an annual competition for research on the geographic distributions and interactions of human, physical, and biotic systems on the Earth’s surface. Projects on a variety of topics U.S. and international (through subawards) qualify for support if they offer promise of enhancing geographical knowledge, concepts, theories, methods, and their application to societal problems and concerns. Past projects include several in the world’s developing countries related to environmental disasters, waste management, marine spatial planning, wildlife conservation, and others. The deadline for regular proposals is 03 September 2020. Link
Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture — Faculty and Student Mobility Grant
The SEARCA Faculty and Student Mobility Grant enables grantees to conduct their research work or take courses at selected Southeast Asian universities. The Faculty Mobility Grant is intended for regular employees of academic or research institutions, or government agencies. The Student Mobility Grant is open to ongoing graduate students at Southeast Asian universities. The applicant’s areas of specialization must be in the field of sustainable agricultural and rural development. Eligibility extends to nationals from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, or Vietnam. The scholarship provides roundtrip airfare, stipend for food, lodging, and incidental expenses. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. More about this scholarship
Earthwatch Institute — Earthwatch Shulman Awards 2019/20
The Earthwatch Shulman Awards provide research and training grants to early-career environmental scientists. The grant offers support to conduct scientific research, join and present at conferences and implement environmental research in the focus areas sustainable agricultural land management, urban green spaces (including gardens and parks), and reducing water pollution. Two selected projects will receive a grant of £4 thousand and four runners up will receive a grant of £500 to spend on conservation-based training. All applicants will need to be nominated for the award. The deadline for applications is 26 November 2019. More information
COLEACP — Strengthening Sanitary and Phytosanitary Systems of the ACP Horticultural Sector
COLEACP is a non-profit association whose main purpose is to support the development of sustainable and competitive agriculture and agribusiness in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. COLEACP seeks expressions of interest for “Analytical and technical information support services in crop production and crop protection to facilitate compliance of the ACP horticultural industry with the requirements of domestic and international markets.” The selected applicant will be required to cover laboratory and analytical support, and the provision of technical information and advice in crop production and crop protection in ACP horticulture. The maximum value for this service is €600 thousand. The deadline to submit Expressions of Interest is 02 December 2019. Find the call for EOIs
The British Academy — Youth Participation in Global Sustainable Development Challenges
The British Academy program Youth Futures, funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund, will support youth-led research directly and primarily relevant to the problems of developing countries. Projects must aim to support the economic development and welfare of countries on the OECD DAC list. Projects must be 21 months in duration, with a maximum value of £300 thousand. Principal Investigators must be based in the UK, however, international collaboration is strongly expected. The deadline for submissions is 04 December 2019. Click here
Mondi Group — Lead 2030 Challenge for SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
The Lead 2030 Challenge for SDG 12 seeks solutions that address necessary changes required to avoid unnecessary waste production. Projects can focus on alternative solutions for waste streams; retail recycling, consumer behavior, cross-industry collaboration; or the reduction of post-harvest losses. The winner will receive a US$50 thousand project grant and 12 months of mentorship from a team of Mondi Group professionals. The project must be youth-led (founded by a person aged 18 – 30). The application deadline is 05 January 2020. About the SDG 12 challenge
UK Arts and Humanities Research Council — Cultures, Behaviours and Histories of Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition (2nd call)
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) calls for proposals to support international, interdisciplinary, research partnerships. International Co-Investigators from Lower and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) are invited to apply to the call named ‘Cultures, Behaviours and Histories of Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition.’ Funding of up to £200 thousand per project is available. The duration of projects can be between 12 and 24 months. The deadline for submissions is 09 January 2020. Find the call
Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research — Bridging Grants for Research Collaboration with East and Southeast Asia
The Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research provides bridging grants to Swiss researchers for the extension of small cooperation projects (exchange grant, workshop, seed funding) with Asian partners. The call is open to all scientific disciplines and fields of research. The Fund provides a maximum of CHF 25 thousand for the preparation of a joint project proposal. The Swiss scientist is the main applicant. Collaborators must be scientists affiliated with a university or a public research institute from China, Japan, South Korea, or ASEAN member states (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). The applications deadline is 12 January 2020. Details here