The MEASURE Evaluation Population & Reproductive Health Associate Award (PRH) has issued a request seeking proposals from eligible candidates in select countries for the third round of small grants program aimed at increasing the evidence base in family planning (FP).
Small grants of the program are aimed at supporting primary and secondary data analysis particularly national program or policy evaluation – and data use activities based on research findings. Recipients of these small grants are expected to produce a publishable manuscript and complete a data use activity.
Program Objective
The objective of MEASURE Evaluation PRH Associate Award is to ensure optimal demand and analysis of family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) data, and the appropriate use of such information to measure performance and to inform FP/RH interventions and policies. MEASURE Evaluation PRH expands on prior work to strengthen the capacity of FP/RH decision makers to use information to inform efforts to scale up high-quality and sustainable FP/RH programs.
Research Topics & Methods
- Priority will be given to proposals that address the suggested research topics and/or methods:
- Reaching underserved populations (e.g. addressing FP needs of youth and adolescents; the poor; displaced populations; etc.)
- Exploring strategies to reduce poverty and inequality through targeted FP service delivery mechanisms
- Integrated FP services (e.g. postpartum FP; FP as a component of postabortion care; FP integrated with immunization services; etc.)
- Healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies tools, approaches, and practices
- Addressing gender in FP, specifically, the effectiveness of gendered-focused interventions on FP health outcomes
- Understanding provider and FP user behavior
- Evaluating FP programs or policies (e.g. community-based distribution, contraceptive security, long-acting & permanent methods, behavior change communication, etc.)
- Evaluating population-health-environment programs
- Utilizing innovative rapid data collection methods
- Assessing e-Health methodologies as they relate to FP
- Mapping or spatial analysis of FP data
Eligibility
Candidates eligible to apply for PRH small grants include country or regional academic institutions or centers, non-profit and for-profit research organizations, parastatals, and research-focused NGOs. All candidates must be from USAID’s FP priority countries. Eligible candidates must be seeking to build their research and/or data use capacity.
Grant Size
The base amount for a small grant is US$6000, which is intended to cover basic research expenses for a nine-month timeline. However, the total amount of the grant will be based on proposed budgets and is expected to be higher, so as to cover the costs of the planned data use activities.
Priority Countries
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India (Uttar Pradesh State), Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia.
Submission of Proposal
Applicants first need to submit a concept paper. Short-listed candidates will then be requested to submit a detailed research proposal.
Last date for submission of concept papers is October 16, 2011.
For more information, visit this link.
