The RONPAKU fellowships are a program of the JSPS to support students from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to pursue PhD degrees at Japanese universities. Each fellow submits a research dissertation co-supervised by an advisor in Japan and an advisor in the fellow’s home country. The fellows do not pursue doctoral courses in Japan (i.e., dissertation only). RONPAKU will award about 20 fellowships across all subject areas. The application deadline is 25 August 2017 for submissions to RONPAKU from Japanese universities; applicants need to send their documents to their prospective Japanese advisors in advance of this deadline. Link
South Asia
European Commission — Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in European Overseas Territories
The EC funds the program Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in European Overseas Territories (BEST) in order to fund actions on the ground, both at the local and regional level. BEST 2.0 is open to applications for projects in the overseas territories of the Caribbean, Pacific, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Polar/Sub-polar regions. Small grants are up to €100 thousand; medium grants are €100 thousand to €400 thousand. Potential applicants include local civil society organisations; small for-profit organisations; municipalities; OT governments and their departments and services; European Member State bodies; and regional and international organisations. The deadline to submit concept notes is 14 April 2017. Link
United States – India Educational Foundation — Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships
The Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships are for Indian scholars who are registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution. The fellowships are for six to nine months at institutions in the USA in fields that include agricultural sciences; energy studies; urban and regional planning (with emphasis on smart cities and waste management); materials science (with emphasis on environmental applications); and others. The application deadline is 15 June 2017. Link
Drivers of Food Choice — Competitive Grants Program
With funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK’s Department for International Development, the program “Drivers of Food Choice” solicits applications for research projects that will provide a deep understanding of the drivers of food choice and the relationship with agriculture among the poor in the world’s low- and middle-income countries. Research grants can be awarded to any organization (e.g., research organizations, NGOs, government institutions, and private-sector organizations) committed to improving food and nutrition security in one or more of the 41 countries that account for 90% of global under-nutrition. The program expects to fund seven research grants of up to US$300 thousand each. The deadline for concept memos is 01 April 2017. Link
UK Natural Environment Research Council — Research on Water Quality, UK and India
The UK’s Natural Environment Research Council, in partnership with the UK’s Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council and India’s Department of Science and Technology, invite proposals on research to improve water quality. The programme aims to provide a better understanding of the sources and fate of different pollutants, and to support the development of management strategies and technologies to reduce pollution levels. Proposals are sought for collaborative projects involving researchers from both the UK and India. The deadline for notifications of intent to submit is 30 March 2017. Link
U.S. Agency for International Development — Asian Women Entrepreneurs in Clean Energy
The USAID Private Financing Advisory Network-Asia, the International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy, and the Asian Development Bank announce a joint call for proposals for women entrepreneurs in clean energy. Selected woman entrepreneurs and organizations supporting the selected entrepreneurs will receive mentoring support from USAID PFAN-Asia with an aim to secure funding to up-scale their operations. The program is open to women entrepreneurs and organizations in the private sector and in public-private partnerships in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2017. Link
U.S. Agency for International Development — Smart Solutions for Adaptable Cities in Asia
The USAID Private Financing Advisory Network-Asia calls for proposal to advance “Smart Solutions for Adaptable Communities and Cities.” Examples of these solutions include apps on clean transport and pilot projects on climate-adaptable housing and buildings, water management, and waste management. Selected project developers, technology providers, innovators, and inventors will receive mentoring support from USAID PFAN-Asia with an aim to secure funding to up-scale their operations. Applications are invited from the private sector, and from public- private partnerships, in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2017. Link
Feed the Future — Data-Driven Farming Prize
The Data-Driven Farming Prize seeks tools and approaches that use data to help smallholder farmers improve their agricultural productivity and value. Feed the Future invites proposals for data-driven approaches to be tested in Nepal to improve the productivity of rice, other cereals, and vegetables. Eligibility to compete for the prize extends worldwide to individuals, groups, organizations, and companies — in all sources and sectors — particularly local innovators in South Asia. The judging panel will award two grants of US$100 thousand each, and two others of US$50 thousand each, to the proposals with highest potential. The deadline for applications is 06 April 2017. Link
International Development Research Center — Innovations to Improve Livestock Vaccines in Africa and Asia
Canada’s IDRC calls for proposals to support novel ideas or pre-existing innovations to respond to the challenges of existing livestock vaccines in Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia. The research should focus on vaccine improvement for one or more of the eligible livestock diseases identified in the announcement. Eligibility to participate in the call for proposals extends to applicants from research-focused organizations in the private sector, academia, and research institutes anywhere in the world. The program will fund up to six research projects at a maximum of CA$1 million each. The deadline for proposals is 21 March 2017. Link
University of California at Davis — Trellis Fund for Horticulture
With funding provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Trellis Fund makes small grants for horticultural projects in the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The maximum funding is US$4 thousand per project. Successful applicants in these countries will be paired with U.S. graduate students that have relevant technical expertise. The closing date for applications is 03 April 2017. Link