TrustAfrica in partnership with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) have announced a new round of grants with the purpose of supporting research on the investment climate and business environment (ICBE) in Africa. This call focuses on SMEs and how they relate to, or are affected by, the ever-changing global landscape and processes in investments, private sector development and governance related developments.
Grants will be awarded in the following three categories following an open, competitive process:
Small Grants: up to US$10,000
Intermediate Grants: above US$10,000 but not exceeding US$50,000
Large Grants: above US$50,000 but not exceeding US$100,000
This Call for Proposals is the second in Phase II and the fourth overall since the ICBE Research Fund was established in 2006. To date, the Fund has awarded grants to more than 70 research teams totaling more than US$2 million.
Suggested themes:
Entrepreneurship and small businesses:
– women and youth entrepreneurship;
– productivity and bankruptcy risk factors;
– influence of social norms and other cultural characteristics;
– role of regulation;
– rule of law and entrepreneurial incentives and motivation;
– traditional local governance and business productivity
SMEs and Innovation:
– what role for ICTs;
– innovation drivers;
– African SMEs innovation niches;
– African SMEs and the green economy — renewable energy;
SMEs and the global economy:
– aid flows and African SMEs;
– international remittances and African SMEs;
– FDI, foreign outsourcing from OECD countries and African SMEs;
– BRICs FDI, foreign outsourcing and African SMEs;
SMEs and domestic economic policy:
– African SMEs and domestic fiscal policy — crowding-out or crowding-in effects?;
– African SMEs and the formal banking;
– African SMEs and microfinance;
– African SMEs and informal finance
SMEs and sustainable agriculture and food production in Africa.
– Deadline for receiving the application is July 29, 2011
For more information and details, please visit this link.
