Submissions open for PRO-WASH & SCALE Small Grants Program

Deadline Date: May 10, 2024

Donor Name: PRO-WASH & SCALE

Grant Size: $100,000 to $500,000

Practice, Research, and Operations in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene and Strengthening Capacity in Agriculture, Livelihoods, and Environment (PRO-WASH & SCALE) is soliciting applications for research to identify climate resilient approaches that can be adapted and used in emergency settings.

Climate change is a global crisis that affects people around the world. Extreme climate related events are increasing in frequency, severity, and duration throughout the world. The impacts of these events are not distributed equally, with larger impacts felt by the more marginalized communities, such as those living in poverty, and particularly those in emergency settings. 

In response to this challenge, PRO-WASH & SCALE Award is pleased to share this request for applications (RFA) which seeks proposals to undertake research that will address priority evidence gaps in enhancing climate resilience in emergency settings within PRO-WASH & SCALE’s focus sectors of water, sanitation, hygiene, agriculture, markets, livelihoods, and/or natural/watershed resource management, with the overall goal of improving food security and nutrition programming.

Objectives

• The objective of the research to be funded under this RFA is to identify promising resources/practices for enhancing the climate resilience of select technical activities that are appropriate and effective (based on initial data and observed outcomes) in emergency contexts.
• Applicants are encouraged to take a variety of approaches/angles in responding to the above objective. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  • Climate-resilient intervention designs and adaptations, including those based in local knowledge or expertise.
  • Climate-resilient assessments, planning, capacity strengthening, and/or coordination.
  • Approaches for monitoring and evaluating the impacts of climate-resilient interventions.
  • Use of data/evidence related to climate resilience for adaptation and learning within a specific emergency contexts. 

Focus Areas

• Applicants must focus their research on the technical areas as below mentioned. While applicants are not required to cover all technical areas within their proposed studies, preference will be given to research that cuts across at least two technical areas (e.g., hygiene and markets or agriculture and sanitation). Proposed research activity must include at least two technical areas, at least one from Focus A and at least one from Focus B. They seek proposals where a multi-sectoral approach enhances the research, offering deeper insights and practical value.
  • Focus A 
    • Water
    • Sanitation
    • Hygiene
  • Focus B
    • Agriculture
    • Markets
    • Livelihoods
    • Natural Resource/Watershed Management 
• PRO-WASH & SCALE recognize that gender and social norms deeply impact and influence multi-sectoral interventions and behaviors. As such, gender and social inclusion are cross-cutting issues that should be integrated into each step of this activity, including the composition of the project team. Leveraging of local expertise in climate adaptation should also be incorporated, wherever possible, in the study design.
• Applicants are encouraged to ensure that their research is centered around and informed by the needs of people affected in the emergency setting(s) in geographies where the study will be conducted. 
• Applicants must demonstrate in their proposals how the research findings will be used by identified stakeholders to improve food security and nutrition-related systems and outcomes at a local, national, and/or global level. Proposals that focus on vulnerable or marginalized groups are particularly encouraged.  Proposals should also consider how upstream and downstream groups may be adversely affected by climate interventions. PRO-WASH & SCALE encourages applicants to have a plan in place for research translation to ensure study findings are utilized by targeted stakeholders.

Funding Information

• Final funding levels for this award will depend on content, relevance, quality, and needs with a ceiling of USD $125,000 (subject to availability of funds). Acceptance of an application under this RFA does not constitute an award nor does it guarantee that the application (if awarded) will be funded at the full dollar amount requested.
• Duration
  • The duration of the Award under this RFA is a maximum of 16 months from the date of the award. They anticipate activities to start around January 2025 and to be completed by May 2026.
  • This 16-month award timeline includes three phases:
    • Research design finalization and preparation, up to 4 months.
    • Research implementation and drafting findings and initial deliverables, up to 9 months.
    • Revisions, Finalization and Dissemination of outputs, up to 3 months

Eligibility Criteria

• PRO-WASH & SCALE will not accept applications from individuals. All applicants must be legally recognized organizational entities under applicable law. Applicants must comply with all applicable Unique Entity Identification Number (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) requirements. Applicants are not required to have a UEI at the time of application but must have a UEI number at the time of the award. Applicants must have completed all required steps (if any) with the host government to legally operate their program.
• Applicants must have an organizational presence in the country where they are proposing to undertake research and/or partner with an organization in that country. Preference will be given to researchers with research institutions and higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries.
• Applicants do not need to have an agreement or partnership with an existing BHA funded activity and the activity can take place outside of a BHA funded activity. Organizations are welcome to propose collaborative efforts, but each application must identify one organization that will be the lead/prime recipient of funding and be responsible for program requirements. The lead/prime organization will be responsible for coordinating efforts with other partners. All collaborative efforts must be clearly identified and described in the application.
• Lead Applicants or collaborating organization(s) must be legally recognized organizational entities under applicable laws of the implementing country. Applicants are permitted to submit only one application in response to this RFA.

Ineligible

• The following are not eligible to apply for grants under this RFA:
  • Members of the PRO-WASH & SCALE consortium: Save the Children and Mercy Corps.
  • Individuals and/or sole proprietorships.
  • Government entities, including ministries.
  • Multilateral organizations.
  • Firms operating as commercial companies or other organizations (including non-profit and nongovernmental organizations) that are wholly or partially owned by foreign governments or agencies. 

For more information, visit PRO-WASH & SCALE.