Deadline: July 16, 2017
The Global Development Awards Competition is an innovative award scheme launched by GDN with the generous support from the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan. The Awards Competition recognizes excellence in policy-oriented research, supports research capacity development of researchers in developing countries and funds innovative social development projects benefiting marginalized groups in the developing world. Since its inception in 2000, GDN has provided US$ 3.8 million in awards and travel grants to finalists and winners.
The awards are divided into two categories:
Category 1: Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development (ORD)
The Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development (ORD) is a competitive research grant program that identifies and funds outstanding research proposals submitted by researchers from developing countries and transition economies that have a high potential for excellence in research and clear policy implications for addressing development issues in any of the three research sub-themes.
Category 2: Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project (MIDP)
The Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project is a competitive grant program that provides grants worth US$ 45,000 to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) located in developing countries torecognize the innovative approach of their grassroots projects. The Award targets projects currently at the stage of implementation, and which have a high potential for impact targeting exceptionally marginalized and disadvantaged groups located in developing and transition countries.
Research Themes
Research Proposals for the Awards will be considered in following sub-themes
- Skilling for Agriculture
- Skilling for Manufacturing
- Skilling for Digital Technologies
Prizes
- Category 1: First Prize: US$ 30,000; Second Prize: US$ 10,000; Third Prize: US$ 5,000
- Category 2: First Prize: US$ 30,000; Second Prize: US$ 10,000; Third Prize: US$ 5,000
*The first prize winner of category 2 is also eligible to compete under the Japan Social Development Fund for an additional grant of up to US$ 200,000 to scale up their innovative work.
Eligibility
Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development
- Eligible countries for the ORD competition are those classified as low-income or middle-income countries;
- Open only to researchers who are nationals of an eligible country;
- Open to citizens of eligible countries who are temporarily based in a non-eligible country but not for more than five years as of July 16, 2017;
- The upper age limit for all applicants is 45 years as of July 16, 2017;
- Staff members of multilateral and bilateral organizations are NOT eligible to apply;
- Previous and current employees of GDN or its Regional Network Partners (RNPs) are NOT eligible to apply up till 5 years from the completion of their tenure. Previous GDN Board Members, project mentors and members of evaluation teams are NOT eligible to apply;
- Similar proposals or papers resulting as products from full or partial GDN funded activities cannot be submitted for this competition;
- Past ORD winners and finalists are not eligible to apply with the same or similar research proposal. Winners are not eligible to apply for a period of 3 years subsequent to their submission of a successful proposal;
- Past and current AMC reviewers are not eligible to take part in the competition.
Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project
- The MIDP Award is open to all development projects being implemented in low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries;
- The project must be managed by a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with its headquarters in one of the above eligible countries. The NGO must be non-profit;
- The project implementation must have started before 01 June, 2016.
- Submissions concerning a recently started project or only a project idea or a feasibility or baseline study will not be considered;
- Submissions for funding conferences (either in part or in full) will not be considered;
- Applicants from previous years (except winners) may re-apply, but they must update the application to include new aspects of the project;
- Previous MIDP winners are not eligible to apply.
Application Process
Go to the application platform to find relevant application documents.
For more information, visit Global Development Awards Competition.
