2nd Round MENASP-CP GCRF Research Fund is Now Open

 

The call ended on 28th October 2022, 17:00 (GMT)

Watch the recording of the How to Apply info session below.
FAQs are added below (added 29 September 2022)
Example proposals from last round are added below (added 18 October 2022)

 

The MENASP Network’s Social policy and Conflict Prevention (MENASP-CP) Research Fund sits within the Network’s Strengthening social welfare and security in the MENA region Research Programme*, which aims to advance scholarship and practice in security, social equality and social protection in the MENA region. 

 

This call aims to examine the relationship between social policy and conflict prevention (both broadly defined) by emphasising the perspectives of citizens and residents in conflict-affected MENA countries.

 

 

There is only one funding scheme, but some funding is ring-fenced for applicants who are based in a MENA country included on the ODA list. Interdisciplinary, comparative (including with non-MENA countries), and early-career-led proposals are welcome. All applicants are strongly advised to participate in the online information events supporting this funding call this September (The exact date will be announced soon.)

 

Applicants are invited to think creatively, push the boundaries of knowledge and practice and above all, focus as closely as possible on the wide-ranging relationships between social policies (including social protection) and conflict prevention in the MENA region. This may involve historical or contemporary perspectives and requires direct engagement with peace and conflict studies literatures.

 

Applicants may find helpful orientations for their proposals through concepts and theories that explore sustainable, positive or negative peace, horizontal inequalities and structural violence (these are just examples). Descriptive, mapping-oriented or exploratory projects are welcome but should ensure the proposal’s theoretical and societal impact are made clear. The following two points are ‘essentials’, and any application that fails to address both points will not be considered for peer review:

  1. Your proposal must clearly identify which of the fund research questions it addresses (see section below “ Fund Research Questions”)
  1. Your proposal must be able to make a contribution to the AHRC-GCRF network’s overall focus on conflict prevention and social policy. This includes citizen and resident perspectives, experiences and aspirations but can also be expanded to explore wider political, economic and contextual conditions including civil society, international community and government actions.

 

Fund Research Questions

The fund is centred around the following key questions. Any proposal that does not identify which question it addresses will not be considered for funding. So it is important to identify one of the following questions in your proposal clearly:

  1. Causal relationships: How have citizen and resident perceptions and experiences of social welfare and social injustice influenced or been impacted by processes of violence and conflict in the MENA region? How do we explain these relationships?
  2. Meaning and design: How can social policies be more inclusive of citizen and resident perspectives and aspirations? This may cover policy discourses, public debate, eligibility criteria and take-up of services and must be oriented towards conflict prevention goal.
  3. Political will and resource mobilisation: How can policy actors within or outside conflict-affected MENA societies mobilise political support and resources for social protection from governments, international actors and civil society groups to undertake timely and effective conflict prevention? Where are citizens and residents located in this process?
  4. Effectiveness: What methods of conflict prevention work well to enhance the social welfare outcomes of citizens and residents affected by conflict? What are priority areas for capacity-building to improve social policy governance?
  5. Institutionalisation: How can procedures and policies for anticipating and responding to possible conflicts be integrated into the normal functioning of governments, international governmental and non-governmental organisations in conflict-affected MENA countries? How can these organisations’ separate actions be better coordinated? How can social policies support more effective inter-group dialogues (these groups might be distinguished on the basis of ethnic, sectarian, linguistic or religious characteristics).

How much funding is available?

  1. Research project grants (between £10,000 – £50,000) are available for projects for up to 12 months.

UK research organisations are funded at 80% FEC; ODA-based MENA-led organisation applications are eligible for 100% of the costs.

 

*Kindly note that lead or sole applicants must be based in the UK or a DAC-listed country. The full list of DAC countries can be found here.

 

How to apply?

  1. First, you need to check your eligibility for this call by completing the Eligibility Check form included in the Documents section before.
  2. If it meets the eligibility check, please watch the How to Apply info session recording here. Any queries related to the eligibility check should be directed to the Fund team, email: menasp_network@bath.ac.uk.
  3. Once you have completed the eligibility check and attended or watched the information session, please proceed with completing your application, making sure all documentation is attached and in the correct format.
  4. Please note the deadline is the final deadline, and there will be no extensions. Therefore, please aim to have all documents ready a week ahead of the deadline.

 

Please read the Guidance Note document and the call description carefully, and complete the relevant application form and email it with relevant attachments to menasp_network@bath.ac.uk quoting reference MENASPCP03/30 in the subject line by 28/10/2022 at 17:00 (GMT).

 

Application Documents:

 

Supporting Resources

 

Please note that any updates to the guidance or clarifications will be posted on this website or via the MENASP mailing list. If you would like to start receiving mailing list emails, please request this from MENASP_network@bath.ac.uk. Thank you.

 

1st Round of the Call was launched last year with a deadline on 30th November 2021.