International Foundation of Science (IFS) Individual Research Grants for Developing Countries 2018
ABOUT
Providing early-career support to promising young developing country researchers has been the mandate of the International Foundation for Science (IFS) for many years.
Within the Individual Research Approach (IFS Strategy 2011-2020), IFS continues its commitment to support excellent individual research and to build capacity of early-career scientists in the developing world to undertake research on the sustainable management of biological and water resources. Applicants are encouraged to tackle research issues linked to these areas, and to develop solutions that are relevant to local contexts. By encouraging local researchers to work in their home countries, generating cutting-edge and locally relevant knowledge, we hope to contribute to strengthening their countries’ research capacity and ultimately contributing to a global research community aimed at reducing poverty and supporting sustainable development.
AREAS OF INTEREST
Proposals are sought under one of three research areas:
Biological Resources in Terrestrial Systems
Including but not limited to: Biodiversity, Forestry, Natural Products, Renewable Energy and Climate Change.
Water and Aquatic Resources
Including but not limited to: Water Resources Research; Research on all aspects of freshwater, brackish and marine aquatic organisms and their environments.
Food Security, Dietary Diversity and Healthy Livelihoods
Including but not limited to: Research on Food Production; Animal Production and Veterinary Medicine; Crop Science including Underutilized Crops; Food Science and Nutrition, and Food Security issues.
BENEFITS
Individual Research grants are awarded on merit in amounts up to USD 12,000 for a project of 1-3 years. Grants are intended for the purchase of basic tools for research: equipment, expendable supplies and literature, as well as field activities.
ELIGIBILITY
Country eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be citizens of a developing country that is eligible for IFS support, and carry out the research in an eligible country (this does not have to be the country of citizenship).
Personal eligibility
Individual research grants will be awarded to individual early-career scientists in eligible developing countries in support of excellent science.
Researchers applying for a first IFS research grant must be at the beginning of their research careers and have a minimum academic degree of an MSc/MA or the equivalent. To be of eligible age, men must be younger than 35 years and women must be younger than 40 years. If the applicant’s 35th (men)/40th (women) birthday is on the closing date of the call, he/she is still eligible.
Institutional Affiliation
Applicants must be attached to a national research institute (e.g. university, non-profit making research centre, or research-oriented NGO) in an eligible developing country. The institution is expected to: administer the grant, guarantee that the applicant has a salary (or other source of income), and provide basic research facilities. Researchers employed at international research institutes or NGO’s are NOT eligible. However, researchers doing part of their project at an international institute can apply for an IFS grant, if their principal affiliation is with a national institution.
