Deadlines: 10 January 2014 and 10 May 2014
Open to: departments or institutes from universities, hospitals and other institutions of higher education in low- or lower middle-income countries
Grants: from 20,000 USD to a maximum of 300,000 USD depending on the category
Description
The Nestlé Foundation for the Study of Problems of Nutrition in the World was established in 1966 by a donation by the Nestlé Company on the occasion of its centenary. The Foundation is independent and self-constituting and is managed by a Council consisting of at least 5 internationally well-known scientists as Council Members. The Foundation is and has been financially and operationally independent of the Nestlé Company since its inception.
The Nestlé Foundation initiates and supports research in human nutrition with public health relevance in low-income and lower middle-income countries according to the World Bank classification. The results of the research projects should ideally provide a basis for implementation and action which will lead to sustainable effects in the studied populations as generally applicable to the population at large. They should also enable institution strengthening and capacity building in a sustainable manner in the host country and further cooperation and collaboration between Institutions in developed and developing countries.
The Foundation expects research proposals to be primarily the initiative of local researchers from the developing countries. However the Foundation will be inclined to consider favorably those applications jointly made by scientists from developed countries with those from developing countries provided it is clear that the initiative will result in capacity building and human resource development in the latter and the bulk of the budget is spent in the developing country.
Eligibility
Eligible institutions are departments or institutes from universities, hospitals other institutions of higher education in low- or lower middle-income countries. Priority is given to projects which lead to sustainable developments with strong elements of capacity building, and the implementation of the results of a research project should be immediate and sustainable. At present the Foundation’s work is primarily concerned with human nutrition research issues dealing with:
- maternal and child nutrition, including breastfeeding and complementary feeding,
- macro- and micronutrient deficiencies and imbalances,
- interactions between infection and nutrition, and
- nutrition education and health promotion
Grants
A) Research Grants: The Nestlé Foundation offers different grant categories, some of them using a modular approach, i.e. the Pilot Grant Program represents the starting grant module for a later Full Grant Research application.
- Training Grant. The Training Grant Program supports a small research project such as a MSc or PhD thesis project or another training endeavor. Up to 20,000 USD in total.
- Pilot Grant. The Pilot Grant Program of the Foundation provides support for pilot research that has a high potential to lead to a subsequent full research project grant. Usually the Foundation does not support nutritional survey research. Often to be able to identify areas of problems for potential intervention one has to collect baseline data. A pilot study (pre-study or baseline study) will create the needed data for a larger research project. The PG program may assist this. The pilot-study and PG usually represent the starting point for a later full research grant application to the Foundation. Up to 20,000 USD in total.
- Small Research Grant. The Small Research Grant (SRG) provides support of a small research study. This may even represent a continuation of a Training Grant or also a Pilot Grant. Up to 50,000 USD in total.
- Large Research Grant. Full grant application of a complete research proposal according to the guidelines. Up to 100,000 USD per year to a maximum of 300,000 USD for 3 years.
- Re-Entry Grants. To encourage the return and re-establishment of post-graduate students into their careers in their own countries, the Foundation will support a research program. The host institution will need to guarantee a post for the returnee and ensure career development within the host institution. Contribution of support to the candidate from the host institution is essential, while support and collaboration from the overseas institution where the candidate trained is helpful. Up to 50,000 USD in total.
B) Institutional Support: Institutional support involves the support of research or educational projects in specific institutions in low- or lower-middle income countries which contribute to a focused development of capacity and know-how and human resource development in the corresponding institution.
C) enLINK Research Grant Program: The enLINK research grant program represents research projects initiated by the Nestlé Foundation. External researchers or institutions are invited by the Foundation to submit a research proposal in a specific area. All applications, including those of the enLINK research grant program will undergo internal and external reviewing.
Application
Applications are accepted all year round, but applications are evaluated twice a year following two deadlines: 10 January and 10 May. Research grant applications are evaluated by the Foundation’s Council, a group of independent international scientists. The funding of projects is primarily based on the scientific quality, public health relevance in the short and long term, sustainability, capacity-building component and, last but not least, budget considerations.
Interested scientists should first submit a Letter of Intent in which they describe very briefly the kind of project they would like to undertake, including an estimated budget. Instructions and files for the letter of intent are available HERE. In the letter of intent and in the grant application, detailed, evidence-based information about the public health relevance of the project as well as its immediate impact and sustainability have to be reported. This part of the application is as important as the scientific section of the application.
Please submit any questions to the organizers at nf@nestlefoundation.org.
For further information please visit the official website HERE.
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