Deadline: December 15, 2017
Call for projects for the 2018 EPFL CODEV Seed Money Grant Program is ongoing. Through the Seed Money Program, CODEV seeks to enhance linkages between science and society by promoting partnerships between researchers from EPFL and researchers and non-academic actors in countries of the Global South, to jointly address main development challenges.
This is in conformity with the Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 by the United Nations, which recognizes the crucial role of science and technology as driving forces behind sustainable development and confirms the need to work together to advance poverty reduction.
The Seed Money grant aims at:
- Reinforcing interest in scientific corporation for advancing the SDGs.
- Supporting the establishment of partnerships between researchers and non-economic actors to expand science and society interfaces when addressing main world challenges.
- Supporting EPFL researchers in the preparatory phase of a new project with a view to obtaining third-party funding.
Grant
- The maximum granted amount for one project is CHF 20,000. This funding may be used to cover research activities, field visits, travel expenses, equipment and to organise workshops or meetings;
- Salary costs for EPFL staff (professors, collaborators or PhDs) cannot be covered. Partial salary costs of researchers in the partner country(ies) may be covered. A detailed budget must be provided (see application form). Foreseen expenses must be justified and coherent with the proposed research activities. Financial and in-kind contributions from each partner are expected and must be clearly indicated in the budget. The budget has to be divided fairly among partners.
Eligibility
Applications must meet the following:
- The project leader is based at an EPFL unit (institute, laboratory, college or center);
- The project is related to the activities of that unit;
- The project addresses development challenges in the local context of the partner country(ies);
- The project takes place in one or more countries of the global South;
- The partner(s) from EPFL is/are actively involved in the project.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be assessed by an evaluation committee on the basis of the following criteria:
- Scientific merit of anticipated outcomes;
- Originality and feasibility of the proposed activity;
- Sustainable development approach (consideration of the three pillars: environmental, social and economic);
- Expertise and complementarity of the partners (interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary – participation of nonacademic actors);
- Relevance and potential development impact for the concerned country(ies);
- Coherence between the budget and the proposed activities;
- Co-funding or in-kind contributions from all partners involved;
- Gender balance and the promotion of young researchers;
- Potential for long-term collaboration and follow-up activities
Application
- Download the application form.
- Applications must be prepared jointly by EPFL researchers and their partners, following the indications mentioned in the application form. The project leader at EPFL must send the application form in electronic format (including annexes) to CODEV at the following email address: cooperation@epfl.ch
Application Timeline
- October 16, 2017: Call release
- December 2017: Deadline for submissions
- January 2018: Evaluation and funding decision
- Early February 2018: Notification
- February 15, 2018: Starting date of project latest
- December 2018: Project completion
- January 31, 2019: Deadline for submissions of final reports
For more information, visit EPFL Seed Money Program.
