AFEW International in partnership with Flowz and in consultation with the Global Network of People living with HIV and the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network is managing a small grants fund to support community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects in Eastern Europe and Central-Asia (EECA) region. The purpose of the community based participatory research small grants fund is to:
- Increase CBPR research capacity in the EECA region,
- Increase the body of CBPR research in the EECA region,
- Support increased visibility and presence of CBPR from EECA at the International AIDS Conference 2018, which will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Note: The selected CBO’s for the small grants fund are expected to submit an abstract for AIDS2018.
The small grants fund is part of a wider programme to build the research capacity of community based organisations in EECA region and increase meaningful participation of the region at the AIDS2018. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives financial support to the programme.
As a first step, a CBPR training took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in November 2016. 24 participants representing key populations and people living with HIV CBO’s from 11 countries across the EECA region attended this training. These 24 participants were selected from an applicants’ pool of more than 200 applicants.
Criteria for participant selection for the training were among others:
- Based in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan,
- Community based organisation and working with one or more of the following key populations: drug users, LGBTI, sex workers, or with people living with HIV,
- A representative regional spread.
Following the training, participants will be able to access online training modules to further shape their research skills. These modules are also accessible for the training applicants who could not be accommodated for the training.
Overview of all CBPR project activities (2016 – 2018)
- Call for proposals for small research grants (Dec 2016)
- Selection research projects (Jan 2017)
- Grants administration and dissemination (Feb 2017)
- Research projects (Feb 2017 – Fall 2017)
- Online modules for certification (Nov 2016 – April 2017).
- Webinar on Data Analysis (late Spring/Summer 2017)
- Workshop on Dissemination and Abstract Writing for up to 25 participants (Fall 2017)
- Workshop on Presenting research findings for up to 25 participants (Spring 2018)
- International AIDS Conference 2018, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (July 2018)
Call for proposals small grants fund
It is expected that grants awarded will be between € 5.000 and €10.000 (maximum).
Applications are strongly encouraged from the 24 training participants and requested only from the training applicants pool, no wider circulation.
Applications will need to be received by January 16th 2017.
Applicants will be informed on the outcomes of their application by the end of January 2017 or early February 2017.
Eligibility criteria for the call for proposals for community based participatory research
An applicant should:
- Be a participant of the CBPR training held in November 2016, or training applicants, who could not be accommodated for the training
- Be an organisation based in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan,
- Be a community based organisation (CBO),
- Be working with one or more of the following key populations: drug users, LGBTI, sex workers, or with people living with HIV,
- Ensure that their application is able to demonstrate the meaningful and active participation of the community in the research, i.e. that it is truly community based and participatory,
- Ensure that their research topic relates to HIV/AIDS (includes sexual health, TB, viral hepatitis, psychosocial aspects, treatment adherence, etc.),
- Ensure that their application is focussed on explanatory, causal or intervention research. Meta analysis or policy analysis are NOT the purpose of this small grants fund.
The applications to the Small Grant CBPR proposals should be submitted online and in Russian or in English. If you are eligible for the call, please click here to start application.