Measure Evaluation Tanzania Small Grants Programme to Fund Research in HIV/AIDS Care & Treatment

Deadline: 24 November 2015

The Measure Evaluation Tanzania (TZ) Project is currently accepting  applications for Round II of its small grants program to increase the evidence base in community-based HIV/AIDS programs. The primary objectives of this program are:

• To build research capacity among local agencies.
• To address gaps in the evidence base around linkages and retention in HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs.
• To provide opportunities for the research data to be disseminated to and used by local stakeholders in decision-making processes.

Award & Duration

The base amount for a small grant is US$10,000, which is intended to cover basic research expenses for a maximum timeline of 12 months.

Research Topics

• What are the HIV drug–resistance patterns in different populations of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Tanzania (e.g., infants, children, adolescents, adults, elderly, pregnant women, and others)?
• What are the HIV prevention needs and priorities among different PLHIV (e.g., pregnant women, children, adolescents, elderly)?
• What are the sexual and reproductive health needs of different HIV-infected populations (e.g., pregnant women, children, adolescents, elderly), and what are the barriers they face in accessing these services?
• What are the barriers to identifying and enrolling infants and children with HIV into HIV/AIDS care and treatment?
• Which HIV/AIDS care and treatment service delivery models would be most cost effective and sustainable while assuring quality of life in the Tanzanian context/setting?
• What are the factors affecting long-term adherence and retention to ART?
• What are the perceptions and attitudes related to HIV care and treatment services in Tanzania and what is the level of ART literacy?
• How can provision and uptake of comprehensive PMTCT services be optimized for women who deliver at home?

Eligibility criteria

• Eligible candidates include Tanzanian academic institutions or centers, non-profit and for-profit research organizations, parastatal organizations, and research focused NGOs or firms. Individuals representing themselves and not an institution/organization, as well as those representing a regional/field office for an international NGO are ineligible for this funding opportunity.
• Eligible proposals should be comprised of a team of three people (minimum) and five people (maximum), submitted on behalf of an NGO, university, etc. The team should have previous research experience, preferably in HIV/AIDS programs specifically, or community-based health programs in general, but need not be highly proficient in research techniques as technical and administrative assistance will be available to sub-grantees at all stages of the small grants program to build organizational research capacity.
• Eligible proposals will use appropriate and rigorous methods. Proposals should also include data use activities and/or products that help ensure the use of research findings by appropriate stakeholders, which may include: organizing a meeting with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare staff at the national or sub-national levels to discuss the research findings and develop an action plan based on the findings; holding a workshop for policymakers and/or program decision makers to discuss key findings and the implication of these findings for HIV/AIDS policies. Programs; developing a short briefing paper with recommendations and presenting the key actionable findings from the analyses to stakeholders.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit the following in English and send it via email available on the website:

• Brief cover letter (1 page).
• Concept paper (3-4 pages) clearly summarizing the following areas.
• Background/context, research questions, scope of analysis, description of dataset, and proposed data use activities.
• Detailed budget by line item (e.g., salaries, travel, etc.).
• Curriculum vitae of key personnel.

For more Information, please Download the Pdf  Small Grants Programme.