This BAA serves to inform the public of the opportunity for possible funding from USAID for innovative applied research to address development challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Office of International Programs coordinates several grants for our faculty and staff to receive funding.
ACES Grant Programs
Seed Grants Program
The International Seed Grants Program was initiated by OIP to stimulate and promote strong relationships between our faculty and international faculty. Each project was funded through the Arlys Conrad Endowment Fund.
We are not currently accepting seed grant proposals. Check back in the fall.
View past seed grant program recipients.
Joint Research Program
The International Joint Research Program is administered by OIP with the support of our Office of Research.
View past joint research program recipients
This program provides support to our faculty to work on projects abroad that are funded at a matching level to work on the same project. Our contribution will be made directly to the Illinois scholar and the matching support may be made to the collaborating researcher at the peer institution. Illinois researchers may request up to $20,000 to be used within 24 months. Collaborating researchers abroad must receive at least the same amount to work on the same project.
Research Proposal Themes
- Economic and Community Development
- Food Security (Availability, Access, & Utilization of Food by at-risk populations)
- Global Climate Change
- Energy
- Natural Resources and Sustainability
- Nutrition and Human Health
Pre-approved Peer Institutions
- Belgium: Catholic University of Leuven (KUL)
- Brazil: Federal University of Viçosa
- China: Zhejiang University, China Agricultural University, Beijing
- Ghana: University of Ghana at Legon
- Mexico: National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi (UASLP)
- The Philippines: University of the Philippines at Los Baños
- Singapore: Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
- Taiwan: National Taiwan University (NTU)
- International: IRRI, CIMMYT, ICRISAT
External Funding Opportunities
Grants
Sponsor:
USAID
Closing Date:
N/A
Sponsor:
Foreign Agricultural Service
Closing Date:
07/07/2023
USDA’s FAS administers the SCRP. This program has historically supported up to 10 collaborative research programs annually. All applications must include foreign collaborations, and projects should not exceed two years. Funding may be allocated to foreign collaborators through subawards.
The SCRP supports FAS’s strategic goals by mobilizing the scientific communities’ accumulated knowledge and technologies through the funding of joint research, extension, and education projects. These projects are between U.S. researchers and researchers from selected emerging market economies, last up to two years, and address issues including but not limited to agricultural trade and market access, animal and plant health, biotechnology, food safety and security, climate smart agriculture, and sustainable natural resource management. Since 1980, the program has supported hundreds of projects, enhancing the technical skills of agricultural professionals, and helping beneficiary countries further develop their relationships with the U.S. agriculture sector.
In the 2023 program cycle, the SCRP will support applied research, extension, and education projects between U.S. researchers and their foreign counterparts from selected emerging market economies (as defined at 7 USC § 5623(d)(1), generally including countries listed in the low- and middle-income groups by the World Bank) who seek to create practical solutions to challenges faced by farmers and build regional or global trade capacities in target countries.
Sponsor:
Tinker Foundation
Closing Date:
07/26/2023
Tinker’s program of Institutional Grants supports the theme of sustainable resource management (among others) in Latin America. Particular issues of interest include sustainable agriculture, sustainable forestry and non-timber forest products, sustainable tourism, fisheries management, and payment for environmental services. Tinker is also very interested in issues of water scarcity and quality for communities. Grants typically range from US$50 thousand to US$150 thousand. The Foundation encourages project collaboration among organizations in the USA and Latin America. Tinker invites brief letters of inquiry to the Foundation before proposals are prepared and submitted. Application deadlines for LOIs are 25 January and 26 July 2022.
Fellowships
Sponsor:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Closing Date:
06/19/2023
The International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program (IAEFP), in coordination with 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA), will provide opportunities to eligible U.S. citizens to assist developing countries in establishing school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs. The IAEFP’s purpose is to connect United States agriculturalists to the demand for experiential, school-based agricultural education in developing countries. The IAEFP was first implemented in Ghana during calendar year 2021-2022. The IAEFP allows United States agriculturalists the opportunity to develop a global mindset, help collaboratively meet the food and fiber needs of the domestic population of eligible countries, and help strengthen and enhance trade linkages between eligible countries and the United States agricultural industry.
The IAEFP emphasizes positive youth development and agricultural skill transfer to youth in beneficiary country secondary schools. It also encourages community-based agricultural extension and teacher training as well as development of 4-H clubs for strong sustainability of the program. Application submission should include, but is not limited to, program outlines that involve classroom instruction, field demonstrations, entrepreneurship projects, and leadership development. The application should address the identified country’s receptiveness of the IAEFP and what, if any, country policies and procedures will be necessary to incorporate into the project work plan for strong program implementation and sustainability. The country’s government, agriculture community, and local authorities should demonstrate support and commitment to collaborate on the implementation and execution of the IAEFP.
Sponsor:
Fulbright - Kalam
Closing Date:
07/17/2023
The Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship aims to build long-term capacity in the USA and India by engaging both countries in research and education on climate change. The program offers research fellowships for PhD students in India who will affiliate with a U.S. institution for six to nine months. It also offers postdoctoral fellowships of eight to twelve months for Indian faculty and researchers who are in the early stages of their research careers in India. The fellowships provide air travel between India and the USA; a monthly stipend; accident and sickness insurance, a modest settling-in allowance; a professional allowance; and a dependent allowance (under certain circumstances).