- Author: Kathleen P Nolan
Dear Colleagues,
The Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), managed by the National Academies of Science and coordinated with six federal agencies.
PEER is a competitive grants program that invites scientists in developing countries, partnered with US government-supported collaborators, to apply for funds to support research and capacity-building activities on topics with strong potential development impacts including biodiversity, agriculture, environment, clean energy, disaster mitigation, food security, water/sanitation, urbanization, democracy and governance, and education. Its goal is “to build scientific capacity and empower researchers in developing countries to use science, technology, innovation, and partnerships to address local and global development challenges.”
Proposals must be submitted by foreign collaborators working with US principal investigators with active awards from one of the following agencies: Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Smithsonian Institution, United States Forest Service (USFS), or United States Geological Survey (USGS). The role of the US government supported partner is to provide complementary expertise and skills to the PEER project, but the partner's research experience does not need to directly overlap. While partnerships are generally based on topical or disciplinary similarities, many PEER partnerships also provide access to specific methodologies or instrumentation otherwise unavailable to the PEER applicant. PEER pre-proposals are not accepted from U.S.-based researchers. Please review the list of 65 PEER eligible countries.
The PEER Program is accepting research proposals in the following focus areas.
1. Multiple Countries/ Open Call
2. Multiple Countries/ Family Planning and Reproductive Health
3. Cambodia/ Investigator Development Awards: Multiple Sectors
4. Indonesia/ Multiple Sectors and Biodiversity
5. Laos/ Nutrition and Disabilities Capacity Strengthening
6. Peru/ Impacts of Extractive Industries on Indigenous Peoples in the Peruvian Amazon
7. Haiti/ Education
8. Middle East and North Africa/ Refugee Host Communities Health
9. Tunisia/ Multiple Sectors
10. Zambia/Technological and Social Alternatives to Charcoal Use and Production
Most projects are anticipated to run for one to two years. Single institution awards are anticipated to range in size from $40,000 to $80,000 (USD) per year for one to two years. A few larger and more complex projects (those involving multiple institutions and/or multiple countries, with one of them serving as the lead) may receive between $80,000 to $100,000 (USD) per year for up to two years. The maximum award amount is $200,000 over two years.
Consistent with the goals of PEER, applicants should outline how their research findings will lead to development-related policy or programmatic change. All projects must also contribute to USAID higher education objectives by strengthening engagement with junior researchers and undergraduate/ graduate students. Proposals that include multi-disciplinary research teams, multi-country collaboration, and/or engagement with policy actors and other development stakeholders are desired but not required.
The deadline for submitting a pre-proposal is Friday, January 12, 2018. Questions about eligibility and the application process may be directed to PEER staff at peer@nas.edu.
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)