r4d programme launches Call for “Transformation accelerating grants (TAGs)”

Deadline: 18 October 2019

The r4d programme has launched the Call for “Transformation accelerating grants (TAGs)” that allow teams of r4d researchers and non-academic stakeholders (e.g. policy makers, the private sector, development practitioners) to make use of the knowledge, tools and technologies developed within r4d projects through translation and implementation initiatives.

Objectives

1. Transformation accelerating grants focus on co-creation, social learning, technology transfer and transformative actions with the ultimate aim to accelerate transformation towards sustainable development and reduce poverty in countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
2. TAGs shall test, validate, accelerate or facilitate the uptake and utilisation of research findings from an r4d project on a local or national scale in r4d partner countries or on an international scale.

Activities, Budget, and Duration

• TAGs can be used for a validation/implementation study, a policy dialogue, creation of a spin-off or start-up, for training courses or material, cultural initiatives, small scale improvements in infrastructure and technology or other specific activities designed to accelerate research-based transformation in partner countries or on an international scale. Should a specific activity be implemented in Switzerland, this cannot include intervention with a political or lobbyist intention.
• The proposal has to explain clearly how the planned activity has emerged during the course of the r4d project and why it was not included in the original project’s application and communication plan and budget.
• Not covered by TAGs are research and application/communication activities already covered by an r4d project or by an r4d synthesis project. Applications from a running r4d project have to show that the use of the respective communication budget is on track with the initial plan.
• A TAG budget can be up to CHF 100’000 to be used over a period of maximal 12 months.
• Approved TAG projects have to start within 3 months from the date of communication (date of ruling Verfügung).

Eligibility Criteria

Only teams composed of one main applicant and at least one project partner are eligible to apply for a Transformation accelerating grant (TAG).

1. The main applicant is a researcher based at a Swiss research institution who is/was involved in the respective r4d project as PI or Co-PI.
2. At least one project partner is a non-academic person (i.e. working at a government agency, a NGO, a think tank, or in the private sector) and provides substantial conceptual as well as practical input for the implementation of the project in the respective country.
3. In principle, at least one project partner must be based at an institution in the global South (i.e. in a partner country of the r4d programme). Exceptions are possible and have to be justified.
4. Further non-academic and academic project partners from any r4d partner country (including Switzerland) can be part of the applying team.

Eligible costs

Eligible costs of TAG grants are:

• Costs of project partners, which can be more than 20 % of the total budget.
• Costs of employed staff:
  • in case of employment in Switzerland salaries must adhere to the salary ranges prescribed by the SNSF.
  • in case of employment in other countries, the respective country regulations for employment have to be respected and the salaries of employees will be considered as honorarium.
• Costs for other services (e.g. subcontracting).
• Costs for travel, logistics, and communication (e.g. design, online publishing, printing, dissemination) that are directly related with the implementation of the project.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can apply online via given website.

For more information, please visit http://www.r4d.ch/News/Pages/190712_Call_TranformationAcceleratingGrants.aspx