Group items tagged

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The over-arching goal of this Fogarty International Center R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nations biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs by enhancing health workforce capacity in high HIV-burden, low-income countriesin sub-Saharan Africa; enhance the diversity of the biomedical, behavioral and clinical research workforce by encouraging interprofessional education initiatives to enhance team health care delivery; help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds to research careers in biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences in low-income countries to enhance capacity of US research projects; foster a better understanding of biomedical, behavioral and clinical research and its implications to improve capacity to develop, implement and evaluate evidence-based health services. To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on courses for Skills Development;Research training; Mentoring Activities; Curriculum or Methods Development to increase Outreach to broad communities to enhance participation in skills development courses, curricula, and mentoring activities.

This Activity will support the purpose described in USAID/OPHE's new Project Appraisal Document (PAD), which is to ensure that Cambodians seek and receive quality health care with decreased financial hardship through more sustainable systems. The Activity will contribute to this purpose through achievement of sub-intermediate result (Sub-IR) 2.1.1 (Improved health and child protection behaviors) and, to a lesser extent, Sub-IR 2.1.3 (Improved quality of public and private sector health and social services), from the Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS): Improved health and child protection behaviors among Cambodians. The primary focus will be on improving healthy behaviors. The Activity will complement the relevant sub-purpose in the Project Appraisal Document by generating demand for quality health services.

This Activity will support the purpose described in USAID/OPHE's new Project Appraisal Document (PAD), which is to ensure that Cambodian people seek and receive quality health and social services with decreased financial hardship through more sustainable systems. The Activity will contribute to this purpose through achievement of a single Activity-level result: Improved health and child protection behaviors among Cambodians. The primary focus will be on improving healthy behaviors, with child protection behaviors covered by the PROTECT project, (PROTECT: A Communication Strategy to End Violence and Unnecessary Family Separation in Cambodia 2017-2022). The Activity will complement the relevant sub-purpose in the Project Appraisal Document by generating demand for quality health services.

The purpose of ACCESS activity is to build the capacity of Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) actors at the district level and below in all districts in the implementation regions, to design, develop, manage, deliver, monitor and evaluate health services and programs in their catchment areas. The activity will also engage with regional health authorities with limited interventions to ensure coordination, planning and effective management of health activities in their districts. Work at the national level will focus on informing policy, guideline development, as well as advocacy on key health service delivery issues. ACCESS will work to improve the clinical skills and health governance skills of primary health care providers to deliver high quality, accessible preventive and curative health services. To expand the reach of the public health system, the activity will work to improve the skills and motivation of community health volunteers to deliver quality health services and ensure they work under the supervision of their respective CSB. Finally, ACCESS will promote positive health behaviors, including care seeking behaviors in the target communities through a comprehensive and contextualized social and behavior change (SBC) approach and improve the capacity of the MOPH and local institutions to design, implement, and monitor and evaluate SBC activities.

The Communication for Improved Health Outcomes Activity (CIHOP) will complement the existing efforts by the Government of the Republic of Mozambique (GRM) and development partners to expand access and improve the quality of health services in Sofala. Social and behavior change communications (SBCC) interventions are essential for garnering community support and for addressing human behaviors that are requisite for maximizing the health impact of these health system advances. CIHOP will improve Mozambique's capacity to design, implement, and coordinate high-quality SBCC, allowing health promotion efforts to more effectively reduce morbidity and mortality caused by preventable diseases

Issuance Date: 3 February, 2015RFA Clarification Questions Due: 19 February, 2015; 1600 Closing Date and Time for Application Submission: 12 March, 2015; 1600 Addis Ababa Local Time Subject: Request for Applications (RFA) Number: USAID-Ethiopia- RFA-663-15-000006 RFA Title: Social and Behavior Change Communication for Health (SBCC- Health Project) EthiopiaLadies and Gentlemen: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for Assistance Agreements from all U.S. and non-U.S. qualified organizations (other than those from foreign policy restricted countries) for funding to support a program entitled Social and Behavior Change Communication for Health (SBCC- Health Project) Ethiopia. The overall goal of the program is to build the capacity of Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) with regards to SBCC interventions while also developing effective messages and coordinating SBCC messaging across stakeholders. The authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and the Grants and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977. While for-profit firms may participate, pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments such as cooperative agreements. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organization, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for-profit organizations), may be paid under the Cooperative Agreement.USAID expects to award one Cooperative Agreement based on this RFA. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to allocate approximately $22.2 million funding to be allocated over a Five (5) year period. USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.The Government of Ethiopia laws require prior regist

The United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Uganda, is seeking feedback for achieving the result of improved ability of individual, households, and communities to adopt priority behaviors. This, in turn, will transform households, communities, and systems for improved health and development outcomes through Social and Behavior Change (SBC).

The current FOA aims to support HIV preventive interventions in Mozambique targeting KP and OVP in provinces of Mozambique characterized by high prevalence of HIV, rapid development and increasing number of multinational companies, transport corridor areas, high mobility and transient male workforce, increased tourism, and increased HIV risk from commercial sex work and transactional sex, which together constitute some of the main factors driving the epidemic in Mozambique. A successful FOA respondent will support the adoption of combination prevention approaches targeting behavioral, biomedical, and structural interventions to ensure effective reach and impact on target population. Interventions aim to increase knowledge of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among KP and other priority populations, reduce sexual risk behavior, increase knowledge and access to preventive commodities among target population. Interventions will also promote HIV testing and counseling (HTC) and create demand for the uptake of HTC services by KP and OVC, increase access to HIV, STI and tuberculosis (TB) services in addition to other health care services, and support access to universal coverage of HIV treatment for all eligible PLHIV within KP and OVP.

The Science of Science & Innovation Policy (SciSIP) program supports research designed to advance the scientific basis of science and innovation policy. Research funded by the program thus develops, improves and expands models, analytical tools, data and metrics that can be applied in the science policy decision making process. For example, research proposals may develop behavioral and analytical conceptualizations, frameworks or models that have applications across a broad array of SciSIP challenges, including the relationship between broader participation and innovation or creativity. Proposals may also develop methodologies to analyze science and technology data, and to convey the information to a variety of audiences. Researchers are also encouraged to create or improve science and engineering data, metrics and indicators reflecting current discovery, particularly proposals that demonstrate the viability of collecting and analyzing data on knowledge generation and innovation in organizations. Among the many research topics supported are:examinations of the ways in which the contexts, structures and processes of science and engineering research are affected by policy decision, the evaluation of the tangible and intangible returns from investments in science and from investments in research and development, the study of structures and processes that facilitate the development of usable knowledge, theories of creative processes and their transformation into social and economic outcomes, the collection, analysis and visualization of new data describing the scientific and engineering enterprise. The SciSIP program invites the participation of researchers from all of the social, behavioral and economic sciences as well as those working in domain-specific applications such as chemistry, biology, physics, or nanotechnology. The program welcomes proposals for individual or multi-investigator research projects, doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, wo

USAID/Bangladesh intends to award a five-year assistance activity (up to $24.5 million) under the US Government's Feed the Future (FTF) initiative. This activity, the Feed the Future Bangladesh Aquaculture and Nutrition activity, will improve rural household income and nutrition by increasing aquaculture productivity, strengthening the aquaculture value chain, and improving the awareness and adoption of nutrition related behaviors of rural households. This five-year activity will be comprised of three interrelated components: Component 1: Productivity of Aquaculture Ponds, Component 2: Aquaculture Value Chain, and Component 3: Awareness and Adoption of Nutrition Related Behaviors.

In Uganda, key and priority populations (KP/PP) have a higher prevalence of HIV and more difficulties accessing prevention and care services. This NOFO will improve the development, implementation, and monitoring of accessible, appropriate, and targeted HIV combination prevention for KP/PP in Uganda. This NOFO will result in an increased use of these services by KP/PP, which will result in these high risk sub-populations attaining the 90-90-90 goals and achieving epidemic control by 2020. The recipient will provide technical assistance (TA) to CDC comprehensive regional implementing partners (IPs) on developing, monitoring, and evaluating new ways to provide combination prevention to KP/PP; implementing and evaluating a nationwide training on gender and sexual identity; and cascading a KP training nationwide to health workers to reduce stigma and discrimination. Strategic information (SI) activities, including improving the collection of routine surveillance data, mapping KP/PP hotspots, and evaluating interventions will support the development and implementation of accessible, appropriate, targeted combination prevention for KP/PP. The recipient will support the Ugandan Ministry of Health (MOH) to improve surveillance of HIV in KP/PP (including population size estimates and bio-behavioral studies) and develop comprehensive guidelines for service provision to KP/PP.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages collaborative research applications on drug abuse and addiction that take advantage of special opportunities that exist outside the United States. Special opportunities include access to unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions in other countries that will speed scientific discovery. Projects should have relevance to the mission of NIDA and where feasible should address NIDAs international scientific priority areas (http://www.drugabuse.gov/international/research-priorities). While the priorities will change from year to year, in FY15 priority areas include: linkages between HIV/AIDS and drug abuse; prevention, initiation, and treatment of nicotine and tobacco use (especially among vulnerable populations such as children, adolescents, pregnant women, and those with co-morbid disorders); the neuroscience of marijuana and cannabinoids; and the effect of changes in laws and policies on marijuana and its impact. The R21 activity code is intended to encourage exploratory and developmental research projects by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of these projects. These studies may involve considerable risk but may lead to a breakthrough in a particular area, or to the development of novel techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or applications that could have a major impact on a field of biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research. Projects of limited cost or scope that use widely accepted approaches and methods within well-established fields are better suited for the R03 small grant activity code.

This initiative aims to: (1) enhance our understanding of the multi-level factors that influence HIV prevention strategy use among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa and (2) develop and test novel interventions to address these factors and enhance the uptake and adherence to HIV prevention strategies among AGYW in sub-Saharan Africa.  The goal of this initiative is to look at the multiple levels of influence on AGYW's behavior from the individual level, to her partners, family members and peers as well as cultural, social norms and structural factors that may influence uptake and adherence to prevention strategies.     

The primary purpose of the Rural Access to New Opportunities in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (RANO-WASH) is to increase access to sustainable water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in targeted rural areas of Madagascar. RANO-WASH will expand access to sustainable WASH services; facilitate improved behaviors and use of those services; develop and support public-private partnerships; and strengthen governance at the community, commune, regional, and national levels. This Program Description articulates a strategic set of interventions that takes advantage of USAID/Madagascar's historic and current work in health, natural resources management, and agriculture, and its unique comparative advantages as a donor and a key partner.

The Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE) of the NSF and Research Councils UK (RCUK) are pleased to announce the SBE-RCUK Lead Agency Agreement. The goal of this agreement is to reduce some of the barriers to working internationally that researchers currently encounter. The SBE-RCUK Lead Agency Agreement will address these issues by allowing US and UK researchers to submit a single collaborative proposal that will undergo a single review process. Proposals will be accepted for collaborative research in areas at the intersection of NSF/SBE and RCUK's missions. The primary UK Research Councils participating in this activity are the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Proposers should review the programs supported through NSF/SBE and through the relevant UK Research Council(s) for further information on what areas of research are eligible for support through this activity. Proposals are expected to adhere to typical proposal sizes and durations for the relevant UK Research Council(s) and SBE program(s) from which funding is sought. Proposals will be accepted for both interdisciplinary and disciplinary research projects.

USAID/Middle East is making a special call for the submission of Concept Papers focused on the Middle East Water Security Initiative (MWSI). The goal of the MWSI is to improve sustainable, long-term access to water for up to 20 million people living in the Middle East. The MWSI will target Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen and promote sharing of best practices and lessons learned among the five participating countries. To achieve its bold but doable goal, MWSI will engage both international and local actors from the private sector, civil society, public sector, and other organizations to (a) support dynamic young entrepreneurs, researchers, and consumers with opportunities to develop, test, scale-up and market "water-smart" technologies; and (b) increase awareness of and local ability to address water security challenges in the Middle East through behavior change and advocacy campaigns.

The main goal of this program is to strengthen the capacity of indigenous organizations to develop and deliver science-based HIV and STI risk reduction interventions for mobile (mostly Haitian) populations, improve linkages to HIV/STI/TB treatment and care, and increase their understanding about the benefits of early treatment. Key objectives are to increase the opportunity, capacity and motivation of mobile populations to adopt healthier sexual behaviors, increase the capacity of indigenous organizations to offer HIV prevention services to mobile populations, improve the availability and accessibility of high quality condoms, and increase access to friendly clinical and care services for HIV/STI/TB. This program will provide prevention services in 10 provinces and will target construction workers, market vendors, and agricultural workers. The implementation will be through indigenous organizations. The use of clinical mobile units will be needed to test individuals at their work site, over extended hours and multiple locations. Close coordination and collaboration with Ministry of Health (MOH) facilitates will be required.

The American Cancer Society is accepting applications for its 2015 International Fellowships for Beginning Investigators, an annual program that aims to improve the exchange of cancer research knowledge, experience, expertise, and innovation. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to beginning investigators and researchers to support the promotion of cancer control in developing countries through epidemiology, cancer control, and other areas of cancer research. The one-year fellowships are designed to advance the academic career of beginning cancer investigators by supporting their translational, clinical, behavioral or population research.

The goal of the National Robotics Initiative is to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside, or cooperatively with, people. Innovative robotics research and applications emphasizing the realization of such co-robots acting in direct support of and in a symbiotic relationship with human partners is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of this program is the development of this next generation of robotics, to advance the capability and usability of such systems and artifacts, and to encourage existing and new communities to focus on innovative application areas. It will address the entire life cycle from fundamental research and development to manufacturing and deployment. Methods for the establishment and infusion of robotics in educational curricula and research to gain a better understanding of the long term social, behavioral and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity are important parts of this initiative. Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit and other organizations is strongly encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and technology development, deployment and use.O

The Political Science Program supports scientific research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics. Research proposals are expected to be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. Substantive areas include, but are not limited to, American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, political behavior, political economy, and political institutions.In recent years, program awards have supported research projects on bargaining processes; campaigns and elections, electoral choice, and electoral systems; citizen support in emerging and established democracies; democratization, political change, and regime transitions; domestic and international conflict; international political economy; party activism; political psychology and political tolerance. The Program also has supported research experiences for undergraduate students and infrastructural activities, including methodological innovations, in the discipline.Besides information on the Political Science Program, we invite you to also look at the Cross-Directorate Activities program web site.Furthermore, for program specific guidelines on the Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, please view the: Doctoral Preparation Checklist.