Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research
Small Grants Programme to Develop Health Policy and Systems Research
Call for Proposals
Deadline: 14 July 2000
Promoting Policy Research for Health Systems Development
In collaboration with the World Health Organization,
an initiative of the
Global Forum for Health Research
World Health Organization
CH 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.
Fax: (+41 22) 791 4328 Tel: (+41 22) 791 2840 allianceahpsr@who.int

Introduction

Developing countries face increasingly complex problems in health needs and services for which traditional solutions are no longer effective. Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is therefore in increasing demand to clarify problems, identify solutions and test interventions. Yet this endeavour must itself rise up to the challenge by providing better evidence and information for policy and health systems and doing so in an effective, acceptable and equitable manner. To this end HPSR capacity has to be strengthened at all levels, including research quality, project relevance, financial and institutional support and effective utilisation of evidences by policy makers and other actors.

The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research was established in November 1999 as an initiative of the Global Forum for Health Research in collaboration with the World Health Organization to contribute to health development and the efficiency and equity of health systems through research on and for policy. Among its tasks, the Alliance is contributing to develop HPSR and promote national capacity with particular emphasis on countries who currently have limited capacity to participate and benefit from HPSR but that are strongly committed to improvement.

To contribute to the development of HPSR and help promote capacity, the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research calls for letters of intent for small grants aimed to support capacity development, good quality research and its integration into the research to policy cycle.

Objective

Grants will aim to contribute to improved health by encouraging relevant, valid, and sustainable research and its application to the health policy and management process.

Grants

Two types of grants will be awarded:

Young Researcher Grants

These grants aim to support the growth and potential of HPSR in the medium term by funding projects of young researchers working as part of a research team or students who are doing Masters or Doctoral level dissertations in a relevant subject. Close co-ordination will be sought between the academic and methodological support provided by the host programmes or senior researchers and Alliance training and grant requirements.

Research to Evidence Grants

These grants aim to strengthen capacity for the application of HPSR to the policy process. Financial support will be provided to experienced researchers and policy/decision-makers to undertake short research projects involving empirical study or analysis of existing data. These should take the form of an interaction between researchers and policy/decision-makers which fosters the production of evidence for the policy process, such as a sabbatical period by an academic spent in a health-related institution with policy/decision-making roles, or a part-time sabbatical period spent by a policy/decision-maker in an academic institution.

Besides financial support for research, the Alliance will organise training and development workshops for grantees which will provide support in proposal development, and writing up and communication of research results.

Research topics and approaches

No specific topics will be prioritised. Applicants should address health policy and systems research defined broadly as the production of new knowledge and applications to improve how societies organise themselves to achieve health goals, including how they plan, manage and finance activities to improve health, as well as the roles, perspectives and interests of different actors in this effort. The health system functions of regulation, organisation, financing and delivery of services are the focal subjects of HPSR. Broader determinants directly affecting the health system are also considered within the purview of HPSR, such as the impact of social policies against poverty and exclusion, and the consequences of globalisation, especially trade and multilateral trade agreements. Outside the scope of HPSR would be research focusing on environmental, political, cultural and economic determinants and processes that affect health indirectly.

Who can apply

Young Researcher Grants:
Applicants must either be:
- working in a research group led by more senior researchers or
-enrolled in a Masters or Doctorate programme, in which case the proposed research project should be an integral part of the requirements for graduation.

The letter of intent can be submitted by a senior researcher (in the case of research groups) or academic supervisor (in the case of students), or by the junior researcher in which case the supervisor should endorse the proposal. Proposals could involve one or more junior researchers.

Research to Evidence Grants

Individuals based at health-related institutions may apply. Health-related institutions or units may be involved in funding, advising, consultancy, administration, service provision, research, training, technology development or advocacy. Government and private institutions are equally welcome. The applicant(s) should have or be able to establish collaboration with another institution or internal unit leading to the formation of a team with at least one researcher and one policy/decision-maker. The supporting member(s) of the team should endorse the letter of intent. Applications will be accepted only from institutions in developing countries, but teams including developed country institutions are eligible.

Project selection and technical support

Letters of intent will be selected by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research on a competitive basis. In the first phase, up to 50 letters of intent are expected to be selected on the basis of relevance and technical merit. Applicants will then be invited to present a draft proposal at a first training and protocol development workshop. On this basis participants will finalise their proposals and will be asked to submit them to the Alliance for the award phase. In this phase, approximately 40 proposals will be supported on the basis of their technical merit. After the preliminary report is submitted the principal investigator will be invited to a second training and development workshop to support write-up and the design of dissemination and application strategies. Projects will receive technical support during execution tailored to their needs. It is anticipated that regional HPSR networks will collaborate in these activities.

Budget, duration and contractual arrangements

Grants will be awarded for up to one year with a modest budget to support field work and office support. Requests for salary support will need to be fully justified. Grants will be awarded by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research in Geneva, Switzerland through a contract between the Global Forum for Health Research and the applicant's institution. Payment will be in two portions: one at signature of the contract, the other upon presentation of the final version of the deliverables.

How to apply

Letters of intent should be received by the Alliance not later than close of business on 14 July 2000. Awards will be announced for the 4 August. Letters should contain the following information not to exceed 1,200 words:
Administrative information

Send letters to:
Miguel A. Gonz?lez-Block,
Manager,
Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research
Office No. 3148
World Health Organization
CH 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 791 2840
Fax: (+41 22) 791 4328
alliancehpsr@who.int