Application Form: call for Sex Worker Research GRANTS

With this call, Bridging the Gaps sex work project aims to support sex worker-led, civil society organisations and networks with a track record in human rights and/or health programmes for sex workers. This call for proposals directly contributes tothe three long term goals:

  1. Strengthened civil society that holds governments to account;
  2. Increased fulfilment of human rights of sex workers;
  3. Improved sexual and reproductive health and rights and fewer HIV infections

Population: female, male and transgender sex workers including sex workers living with HIV

1.Important dates

  • The call opens Wednesday, 1 November 2017
  • The call closes Thursday, 1 March2018, at 12 am.
  • The earliest start-date for research and development projects is 1 June 2018 and the projects are expected to start during 2018.

Applicants are allowed to submit a maximum of one project proposal per year. Grants for research may be used to fund salaries for researchers, students and technical staff. Funding may be applied for a maximum of two years (24 months).The minimum budget is €5.000 and the maximum budget per proposal is€25.000.

2.Who can apply?

Current Bridging the Gaps partners (that have a current funding relationship with either Aidsfonds, NSWP, ITPC and GNP+) with support from the regional networks in the following countries and regions are eligible to apply for a research budget;

Eastern Europe and Central Asia:

  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Ukraine

Sub-Sahara Africa:

  • Kenya
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zimbabwe
  • Mozambique

South East Asia:

  • Indonesia
  • Myanmar
  • Vietnam

Please note that the call is not limited to country research. Grants can be used to study cross-countries or on a regional level, especially if a certain best practice model used in one country is effective/applicable in another country.

3.Requirements

Documents to be included when submitting the proposal:

  1. The research proposal (maximal 5 pages), including a detailed plan outlining research questions and methodology, proposed tools and approaches for analysis of data and if needed a clear proposal for a research partnership. Timeline and brief research description (including relevance, objectives and summary of scientific literature)
  2. Motivation letter (1/2 page).
  3. A strategy of future implementation (1/2 page), including a proposed strategy how research findings will be used in future programming.
  4. Financial proposal (Maximum 1 page). Detailed financial proposal, including number of days, salaries of staff involved, daily rate, capacity building activities (if needed), travel costs, and clearly state total amount (incl/excl VAT) with a maximum amount of 25.000 euro.
  5. If applicable, CV’s of research/academic partners to be involved, including past experience in similar research projects including two references (max 3 pages).

Proposals must include all documents requested. Proposals that do not meet the requirements will be rejected.An application template will be shared with all eligible applicants.

4.Application form

Country / Region:
Country of Address:
Name of contact person:
Organisation / network:
Name and contact information of research/academic partner involved:
City/Town/Province:
Phone number:
Email:
Title of research
Topic of research
Ethical clearance needed?[1] / Y/N
If so, estimated duration:
  1. Research proposal(max. 5 pages)
A brief research description (including relevance, objectives and summary of scientific literature)
Please list the research questions (including main research question and sub-questions)
Please describe the proposed research methodology (e.g. in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, observation etc.).
Please describe the population group and geographical coverage of the research:
Please describe how sex workers are involved in the study:
Please describe how the study contributes to the three long term goals of Bridging the Gaps:
  • Strengthened civil society that holds governments to account;
  • Increased fulfilment of human rights of key populations;
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health and rights and fewer HIV infections

Please described the proposed tools and approaches for analysis of data (e.g. Excel or Survey Monkey):
Timeline (including dates with proposed activities and by whom):
Date / What / By Whom
Describe role and activities of the research partner (if applicable), also include if you have had previous experience with the research partner:
  1. Motivation letter
Explain what your organization hopes to learn with the research and how you will use the new knowledge and capacities in your organisation’s current in Bridging the Gaps. Explain why this study is important foryour organization and sex workers. (Maximum ½ page).
  1. Strategy for future programming
Explain how your organization plans to use the research findings in your organisation’s current programme activities of Bridging the Gaps. Include if the study will contribute to improve existing or plan new interventions (Maximum ½ page).
  1. Financial proposal (see excel template)
Please complete the excel template.
  1. CVs of researchers
If relevant, sent the CVs of the researchers involved of local research or academic institutes.

Please sent the completed form to Lynn Werlich, policy officer Aidsfonds: 12:00 CET on the 1st of March 2018.

[1] Often ethical approval is required for all research that involves human participants. The process of ethical approvals differs per country from 3 weeks to a year. In some cases, ethical approval is not necessary, for example when findings are used for programme implementation and not publication or advocacy.