Research Grants

STIC Business Venture Seed Grant

The US-ASEAN Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation (STIC) Program will provide $50,000 USD to support the business model development of four startups. The grant includestheVirtual Incubator Program for 35 selected participants to develop problem-solution hypotheses into a winning investor pitch. By achieving the Incubator program learning objectives, participants will gain a solid foundation in creating a winning pitch deck that effectively communicates their business idea,captivates stakeholders, and maximizes the chances of success.

The Incubator program will culminate in an opportunity for participants to pitch their startup concept to a panel of industry experts and mentors who will judge the investment merits and win $12,500 USD to be used as a seed fund to further develop their business model.

Eligibility Requirements:

1.    Successfully complete the E&I track in Coursera by April 29, 2024 to acquire the basic entrepreneurial skills you will need to be successful in this program.Only those who complete the E&I track will be considered.

2.    Submit your startup concept note using provided outline in the application form

• Link to full description:  STIC Business Venture Seed Grant
• Link to application: STIC Virtual Incubator Application Form_2024
• Maximum funding: 50,000.00 USD 
• Deadline: 29 April 2024

STIC Research and Publishing Seed Grant

The US-ASEAN Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation (STIC) Program will make available $50,000 USD to help kickstart up to four research and publishing projects while at the same time building grantsmanship capacity among its learners. The STIC Research and Publishing Seed Grant competition exposes participants to a formal grant application process and presentation of an idea in a poster session at the annual conference. If awarded, the program will also help develop skills to manage sponsored funds to conduct a research project and report results.

Eligibility Requirements:

1.    Funds are exclusively available to participants who demonstrate they have completed the S&T Track in the STIC Talent Mobility Portal by May 31, 2024.

2.    Research proposals can be individual projects or team projects, but one team member must be identified as the principal investigator.

3.    The research project must identify a real-world problem related to one of the nine S&T technical academies and seek to provide applicable and practical solutions.

4.    The proposal must include a detailed budget indicating how the team will spend the funds to meet project goals and objectives.

5.    The team must identify a list of potential funding sources/grants and clearly describe how this seed grant will position the project to seek additional funds.

• Link to full description:  STIC Research and Publishing Seed Grant
• Link to application: STIC Research Grant Application Form
• Maximum funding: 50,000.00 USD 
• Deadline: 31 May 2024

The Nagao Wetland Fund

 In 2016 the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (NEF) in Japan made a generous voluntary donation to establish the Nagao Wetland Fund (NWF), to be administered by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.

The NWF is intended to help local governments, researchers, non-governmental organizations and local communities of developing countries in the Asia and Oceania regions to implement the Convention on Wetlands, and in particular the goals and targets of the Convention's Strategic Plan 2016-2024.

The NWF prioritizes projects concerning the conservation, restoration and wise use of wetlands, including communications, education and awareness, and also training for park rangers and staff working in wetland education centres.

• Link to full description: Nagao Wetland Fund
• Link to application: Nagao Wetland Fund (NWF) Online Application
• Maximum funding: 30,000.00 USD 
• Deadline: 31 May 2024

UKRI-Southeast Asia collaboration on infectious diseases

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is partnering with leading funders in Southeast Asia to support research focused on infectious diseases with epidemic or antimicrobial resistance (AMR) potential. 

The funding partners are:

1.    ARDA Thailand (Agricultural Research Development Agency)

2.    DRTPM DIKTI Indonesia (Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia)

3.    HSRI Thailand (Health Systems Research Institute)

4.    MOHE Malaysia (Ministry of Higher Education)

5.    NAFOSTED Vietnam (National Foundation for Science and Technology Development)

6.    PREPARE Singapore (Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and REsponse) on behalf of NRF Singapore (National Research Foundation)

7.    DOST-PCHRD Philippines (Philippines Council for Health Research and Development, Department of Science and Technology)

8.    UKRI funding for this partnership will be provided through the International Science Partnership Fund Official Development Assistance budget.

This funding opportunity is to support partnerships between UK researchers and researchers in Southeast Asia working in collaboration on diseases with epidemic and AMR potential. We aim to:

1.    fund collaborative projects involving the UK and one or more partner countries to address the challenges of AMR and pathogens with epidemic potential of relevance to Southeast Asia

2.    enhance existing and develop new sustainable partnerships between the UK and Southeast Asia research partners

3.    strengthen research capacity in the Southeast Asia region through supporting long-term research relationships

Research teams must include at least one UK and one Southeast Asia research organisation in a DAC-list country to apply for this opportunity.

• Link to full description: UKRI-Southeast Asia collaboration on infectious diseases
• Link to application: Southeast Asia regional funding collaboration on infectious diseases Online Application
• Maximum funding: 1,000,000.00 GBP
• Deadline: 30 May 2024

Japan Foundation Grant Program for Dispatching Artists and Cultural Specialists

This program is designed to provide financial support for artists and Japanese cultural specialists who participate in cultural events (e.g., performances, demonstrations, lectures, and workshops) overseas with the aim of introducing Japanese arts and culture or of contributing to international society through arts and cultural projects.

• Link to full description: Grant Program for Dispatching Artists and Cultural Specialists
• Link to application: Grant application files (Contents of ZIP File: PDF, Excel)
• Maximum funding: 4,000,000.00 JPY
• Deadline: 30 May 2024

Call for proposals for innovation projects in the Agriculture sector

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition has launched a call for proposals seeking solutions to pressing challenges for short-lived climate pollutant mitigation in the agriculture sector. This call aims to bridge critical information, implementation, and finance gaps in the sector to create enabling environments for SLCP mitigation. 

Solutions supported by this call are expected to help sector stakeholders and governments implement and scale up mitigation action in line with the CCAC’s 2030 objectives. 

Projects submitted to this call for proposals should advance innovative approaches and technologies to improve the speed, scale, and access to mitigation action in a developing region, country, or state.

Proposed projects are required to cover one of the following focus areas:

1.    Focus area 1: Advancing implementation of sustainable intensification technologies for livestock, such as breeding, feed improvements, and herd health.

2.    Focus area 2: Shifting agriculture subsidies away from water (for rice production), fertilizer use, and livestock numbers towards climate-smart practices.

3.    Focus area 3: Using digital technology in agriculture extension services to improve awareness of climate mitigation measures in the livestock and rice sectors.

4.    Focus area 4: Piloting innovative business solutions for incorporating agricultural methane into voluntary carbon markets.

5.    Focus area 5: Piloting new models for straw management to decrease agricultural residue burning. 

• Link to full description: CCC Call for proposals for innovation projects in the Agriculture sector
• Link to application: Send concept note and application form to this email
• Maximum funding: 1,000,000.00 USD
• Deadline: 30 April 2024

Women in the Digital Economy Fund

For this round, WiDEF invites local entities to submit applications for grants and technical support to scale existing solutions that have made measurable progress toward closing the gender digital divide in their contexts and contribute to transformative approaches to digital inclusion.
WiDEF seeks to support entities that are rooted in the communities in which they seek to affect change and have demonstrated successful approaches to advancing gender equality and/or digital inclusion for women, girls, and other marginalized populations.
This funding opportunity aims to scale proven solutions that:

1. Drive digital inclusion for women through meaningful access to and use of digital technology
2. Significantly closes the gender digital divide in their context
3. Are economically sustainable and scalable.

• Link to full description: WiDEF Round one funding
• Link to application: WiDEF application form
• Maximum funding: 1,500,000.00 USD
• Deadline: 6 May 2024

Competitions (Open for Graduate and Undergraduate Students)

Japanese Studies in the Philippines: The 6th Japanese Studies Research Development Competition

The UP Asian Center and the Japan Foundation Manila will hold the "Japanese Studies in the Philippines: The 6th Japanese Studies Research Development Competition” on 9 March 2024, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (GMT+8) and 23 March 2024, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (GMT+8), both at the Seminar Room, GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center. 

The event is free and open to the public.

The research competition aims to encourage Japan-related research among Filipino students, to disseminate knowledge, and exchange perspectives on Japanese Studies. It is organized by the UP Asian Center and Japan Foundation, Manila.
COMPETITION PRIZES AND PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITY
The most well-developed research papers will be judged as winners of the competition. Winners will get the latest Apple iPad and a plaque from the Japan Foundation Manila. All finalists will have the chance to publish in the Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia.

• Link to full description: Japanese Studies in the Philippines: The 6th Japanese Studies Research Development Competition
• Link to application: Japanese Studies Research Development Competition application form
• Deadline: 22 March 2024