2023 Grants

Description

In the international development community, the concept of resilience has inspired approaches for meeting development goals that reduce adverse outcomes created by poverty, conflict, economic shocks, and global environmental change. Resilience helps define household, community, institutional, and systems-level strategies that build capacities to cope, adapt, and transform in the face of shocks and stresses at different scales.

As climate change is a key source of shocks and stresses, knowledge about the opportunities, barriers, and dynamics of climate adaptation is therefore important for broader conversations on resilience. 

The Arizona Institute for Resilience’s International Programs (AIR-IP) seeks to catalyze working groups on topics important for climate adaptation and resilience in the Global South where climate changes are having disproportional impacts.

The goals of this grant opportunity are to: 

1. develop innovative ideas on resilience from diverse fields of inquiry with applications to climate adaptation and international development research and policy agendas in the Global South;
2. support new, burgeoning, or existing collaborative research efforts that seek to engage in opportunities related to resilience research and international development;
3. Support teams to bolster their chances for success in pursuing additional funding.

Topics of particular priority for this award include:

1. Assessing the effectiveness of climate adaptation activities,
2. Climate and weather information for decision-making,
3. Dynamics of migration,
4. Climate resilient food and crop systems.

These topics have been chosen because they are being emphasized currently by development funders like USAID. Furthermore, it is AIR International Programs’ intention to help the award winners connect their working group to future research opportunities and actors working in development.

Outcomes and Requirements

Over the course of the award period, working groups should pursue activities that develop innovative ideas on resilience from diverse fields of inquiry with applications to the intersections of climate adaptation and global development challenges – with particular emphasis on supporting resilience in the Global South. Examples of activities could include, but are not limited to, the development of a peer-reviewed paper; hosting a workshop and producing a proceedings report; public awareness products such as an op-ed; developing proposals; or engaging in a pilot that gathers preliminary data. 

Award recipients will be required to submit a short progress report at the conclusion of the grant period of no more than 1 page that will be included on AIR-IPs website.

In addition to the proposed activities, a member of each awarded working group will be required to participate in a public webinar presentation hosted by AIR-IP in the spring of 2024 to present their work to University of Arizona audiences and additional partners working on resilience, climate adaptation, and international development.

Eligibility and Working Group Composition

Working groups should consist of at least four people. We encourage working groups that are made up of two or more disciplines and/or areas of expertise within a discipline, as well as a mix of early- and mid- to late-career individuals.

The team lead must by a UA employee. Team leader and members may include University of Arizona faculty and/or continuing-status academic professionals from any discipline. Postdoctoral research associates and students can also be team members.

Proposal working groups may also include collaborators from other academic institutions and/or practitioner communities.

Funding May Be Used For:

Grant proposals must include a high-level budget with budget justification regarding how the seed funding will be used. The seed grants proposal may support the following activities:

• Short-term, hourly UA student wages and associated ERE
• UA research technical staff, including graduate students, and associated ERE and tuition and fees (when applicable)
• Summer salary/supplemental comp for research scientists and faculty
• Short-term outside contracts (such as for graphics, websites, videography, facilitator) or supplemental compensation for UA staff for whom this work is outside the scope of their position
• Honoraria
• Meeting, workshop, and event costs
• Supplies
• Travel
• Other uses may be considered

Proposal Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated by a 5–7-person review committee consisting of select members of the Arizona Initiative for Resilience and International Development (AIRID), as well as scholars and practitioners working on resilience, climate adaptation, and international development. 

The proposals will be reviewed with respect to the following criteria: 

• A clear link of research ideas and associated working group activities to addressing pressing needs and issues in climate adaptation for global development challenges in the Global South.
• Innovation and novelty of ideas to resilience and applied climate adaptation and international development.
• Feasibility of the proposed working group activities to produce meaningful outcomes within the time frame of the grant period.
• Overall merit and qualifications of the working group team, taking into consideration a diversity of backgrounds and range of expertise and experiences of working group members.
• A vision for how this group may persist beyond a year. 

How to Apply

Please submit the following information by April 28th. Grant proposals should be single-spaced, in 11-point Arial font with 1-inch margins and submitted as a pdf file.

1. Title page with the following information:
   • proposed working group that includes the names, titles, and affiliations of all working group members. Identify one lead member who will be the point of contact. 
   • Proposal summary (150 words) 
2. A maximum 2-page description of the proposed working group activities that includes the following:  
   • how the topics taken up by the working group fit into resilience, climate adaptation, and international development, 
   • the desired outcomes of this proposal,  
   • how the outcomes of this proposals will be achieved,  
   • a case for the team composition, including how team members will contribute to the working group, 
   • longer terms objectives of the working group, if any. 
3. One-page CV each for PI and key collaborators, highlighting work relevant to this proposal
4. Budget 

Questions About Grant

Please email saraheclark@email.arizona.edu and/or Dr. Zack Guido <zguido@arizona.edu>.