The EC calls for proposals to promote women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment in the sustainable energy sector and value chain, with an emphasis on financial services. The action must take place in multiple countries which are recipients of official development aid, including in Sub-Saharan Africa and possibly in other developing regions. Partnerships among academia, civil society, NGOs, international or local organizations, financial institutions, government, private sector, etc., may bring added value to a comprehensive approach. The amount of funding is from €4 million to €8 million, varying with cost shares. Reference EuropeAid/155118/DH/ACT/Multi. The deadline for submitting concept notes is 25 April 2017. Link
all regions
Australian Aid and Tata Group — XPrize for Water Abundance
Sponsored by the Tata Group jointly with Australian Aid, the Water Abundance XPRIZE invites teams to revolutionize access to water by creating a device that uses renewable energy to extract a minimum of 2,000 liters of water per day from the atmosphere at a combined operating and capital cost of no more than two cents per liter. Eligibility to compete for the prize extends to teams of scientists, engineers, academics, entrepreneurs, and innovators from all over the world. The grand prize is US$1.5 million, and the competition will award additional (milestone) prizes of US$250 thousand. The registration deadline is 28 April 2017. Link
Smart Villages — Photo Competition on Sustainable Rural Energy
Smart Villages announces a photo competition on the theme of how energy access changes the life of rural communities around the world. The contest will emphasize the concept of energy “smartness” i.e., how energy is being used in productive, innovative, and even entrepreneurial ways. The competition is open to everyone regardless of nationality, background, age, and experience. The competition offers several cash prizes up to US$2 thousand for the overall winner. Photos must be submitted before 30 April 2017. Link
Waterloo Foundation — WASH Grants
The World Development program at the Waterloo Foundation offers grants in subject areas that include water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The Foundation gives funding priority to UK-based charities, many of whom work in close partnership with NGOs based in the countries in which they operate. Waterloo will also accept applications from organizations in developing countries if they can supply acceptable references in the UK. Grants are usually between 1-3 years for a total of over £50 thousand, although very occasionally the Foundation will provide grants of over £100 thousand per year. The deadlines for the WASH grants are 14 May 2017 (Round 1) and 19 November 2017 (Round 2). Link
World Academy of Sciences — C.N.R. Rao Prize for Scientific Research 2017
The prize is named after TWAS Founding Fellow and former president C.N.R. Rao to honor TWAS Fellows from the developing world. The special focus is scientists in the world’s scientifically lagging and least-developed countries who have made significant contributions to global science. The amount of the prize is US$5 thousand. The closing date is 31 May 2017. Link
São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Climate Change — Training and Networking in Climate Change
The São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Climate Change will hold a 2-week training and networking session in July 2017 on the science of climate change. The Advanced School will focus on five themes, and it will be led by speakers from several countries. The School will accept about 100 graduate students and early-career scientists from Brazil and other countries. The Advanced School will be conducted in English. A limited number of travel grants is available. The application deadline is 31 March 2017. Link
World Food Program — Sustainable Food and National Security
The World Food Program’s Centre of Excellence against Hunger, in partnership with the University Centre of Brasília, invite research papers on the topic ”Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security: Building Bridges between Durable Agricultural Practices and School Feeding Programmes.” The contest is open worldwide to students enrolled in graduate programs, as well as professors and graduate researchers in social and political sciences, and nutrition. The three top winners will participate in international study trips organized by the WFP Centre of Excellence. Articles must be submitted in English. The application deadline is 02 April 2017. Link
World Academy of Sciences — Research Grants 2017
TWAS provides grants to researchers in some developing countries for specialized equipment, consumable supplies, and the support of MSc. students. Depending on the program, grants are for individual scientists or research groups. TWAS describes the objectives, subject areas, and eligibility criteria of each program. The application deadline is 11 May 2017. Link
University of Bergen — PhD Course on Poverty, Climate Change, and Sustainability
The Bergen Summer Research School offers parallel short courses for PhD students and young researchers on themes of urgent societal problems focusing on the transition to sustainability. One of the six courses will concentrate on the link between poverty and climate change. Stipends to participate in the course are available for qualified individuals who are currently enrolled for studies and carrying out research in a list of eligible developing countries. The application deadline is 01 March 2017. Link
Swiss Re — Leadership Prize in Water Management 2018
The International ReSource Award is a prize acknowledging social entrepreneurial thinking and leadership in addressing social and/or ecological issues related to sustainable water management practices in developing and emerging countries. Each of three finalists will receive US$20 thousand and expert assistance to further develop their proposals in order to compete for a first prize of US$75 thousand. Eligibility for the ReSource Award extends to charities, non-profit organizations, and revenue-generating social enterprises working in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene in the developing world. The application deadline for short proposals (Step I) is 22 March 2017. Link