The UK’s Newton Fund helps fund regional workshops that bring together early-career researchers from the UK and partner countries to allow them to make international connections. The current call will support workshops on research related to biodiversity and connected topics of climate change, bio-economy, and sustainability. The partner countries are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. Applications are invited from the institutions of early-career researchers in the UK and these partner countries. The application deadline is 13 October 2017. More information
research
RUFORUM — Community Action Research Programme
The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is partnering with the MasterCard Foundation to implement the programme “Transforming African Agricultural Universities to meaningfully contribute to Africa’s growth and development (TAGDev).” TAGDev’s Community Action Research Programme aims to extend university activities to work more closely with rural communities. The programme focuses on crops and livestock value chains of strategic importance in Kenya, Uganda, and other African countries. Window 1 invites proposals from Egerton University and Gulu University. Window 2 is open to all other RUFORUM universities. The application deadline is 31 October 2017. More Information
UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council — Research on Pulses and Oilseeds in India.
The UK’s BBSRC and India’s Department of Biotechnology encourage multi-institutional applications between UK and Indian researchers to increase the productivity, resilience, sustainability, and quality of pulses or oilseeds grown for food or feed in India. Up to £3.5 million is available from BBSRC to support the UK components of this research, to be matched by DBT’s support for the Indian components, for projects of up to three years. The application deadline is 24 October 2017. Link
International Initiative for Impact Evaluation — Vegetable Oil Development in Uganda
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) invites research organizations and consortia to apply for a grant to to evaluate the impact of phase two of the Government of Uganda’s Vegetable Oil Development Project. The project aims to increase the income of smallholder farmers by boosting vegetable oil production. The lead grant-holding organisation should be registered in Uganda, although the lead principal investigator may be of any nationality, and may be located anywhere in the world. The research team should included at least one Ugandan national who is a resident of Uganda, and who is engaged in a substantive role. Grants are up to US$50 thousand to the selected research team. The deadline for submitting applications is 14 August 2017. Link
Mission Innovation — Off-Grid Access to Electricity in India
The Off-Grid Access to Electricity Innovation Challenge will financially support studies, research, standards, capacity building, and technical assistance to improve affordable energy access for individuals and communities in India with no or limited access to grid connected power. Proposals are invited from qualified researchers and professionals in regular position at Indian institutions drawn from Indian academic and publicly-funded R&D laboratories. Proposals should range from US$100 thousand to US$1 million. The deadline to submit a notification of intent is 31 August 2017. Link
U.S. Agency for International Development — Geospatial Data for the Amazon Region
The program SERVIR helps developing countries to integrate Earth observation information and geospatial technologies into development decision-making. The U.S. government will support a regional system or hub in the Amazon region for dissemination and use of publicly available data on precipitation and hydrologic monitoring and modeling. Related objectives are to strengthen the region’s capacity to generate, disseminate, and use geospatial information and tools for decision support; and to develop user-tailored tools to inform government and civil society decision making. Eligibility for funding is restricted to organizations based in the Amazon Region. Applying consortia should include a mix of inter-governmental, NGO, academic institutions, and private partners. Partners should include representation from Brazil, Colombia, and Peru — with additional desirable participation from Guyana and Suriname, and possibly other Amazon countries. USAID anticipates making one award of US$7 million to US$9 million for implementation over five years. The closing date for applications is 31 August 2017. Link
Safari Club International Foundation — Grants for Wildlife Conservation and Research 2018-2019
The SCI Foundation funds projects and direct wildlife programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, research, and outdoor education in Africa, Asia, and North America. Grants are up to US$50 thousand per year. The application deadline is 31 October 2017. Link
Adaptation Futures 2018 — Dialogues for Solutions
Adaptation Futures is the biennial conference of the Global Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation (PROVIA). The Conference provides an opportunity for international networking and dialogue with more than 1000 participants from academia, government, civil society and business — all aiming to take climate adaptation forward. Early-career researchers and practitioners are encouraged to participate and will be accommodated in as many sessions as possible. Adaptation Futures 2018 takes place from 18-21 June 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. Applications for attendance grants will be accepted from 15 October 2017 to 15 January 2018. Link
Smogathon — Technology to Fight Air Pollution
Smogathon aims to fight air pollution through technology. Start-ups will compete for $25 thousand in cash and $75 thousand as a contract to implement their innovation in Krakow, Poland. Smogathon welcomes participation from any group worldwide that works as a registered company, start-up, foundation, or research group with a legal entity. The best submissions will compete in regional semi-final competitions in Berkeley, London, Warsaw, Bangalore, and Hong Kong. The finalists will compete in Krakow during the Global Clean Air Summit in November 2017. The deadline for applications is 15 August 2017. Link
UK Met Office — Research on Tropical Waves in Southeast Asia
The Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership for Southeast Asia, supported by the UK’s Newton Fund, aims to provide knowledge and capacity to address high-impact weather and climate events in Southeast Asia. The program aims to advance the understanding of tropical meteorology for both research scientists and forecasters in the UK and partner institutes in Southeast Asia. The current call for proposals will focus on the role of tropical waves on the weather of Southeast Asia. The grant is expected to be up to £300 thousand for two years. The deadline for UK scientists to submit expressions of interest is 16 August 2017. Link