Call for Proposals Research and Analysis Working Group

Call for Proposals to the Research and Analysis Technical Working Group

Call for Research Proposals on Pro-poor Growth

The Research and Analysis Technical Working Group (RAWG) of the poverty monitoring system coordinates research and analysis work related to the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA). The group sets priorities for research and analysis related to the monitoring of MKUKUTA. It also serves as a contact, information and service point for research on growth, social well-being and governance.

The group promotes the use of independent research to inform policy making and to support and define the needs for capacity building in research for local researchers by ensuring that research is led, wherever possible, by skilled individuals or institutions from the Tanzanian research community.

The group aims to reflect the commitments that cross cutting issues are an integral part of research and analysis.

Call for Research Proposals
Through a consultative process, it was established that for the first call for proposals this year the primary focus will be on broad based i.e. pro-poor growth. Researchers are invited to submit proposals for research in the following areas.

Sub themes

Growth and Poverty
Regional Differences
Employment and Labour

Suggested areas for research

Structural constraints facing smallholder producers with evidence from good practice for overcoming constraints.
How could fast growing sectors achieve pro-poor growth?
Current level of growth and development - the extent to which this is a result of structural changes in the economy or development aid influence.
Regulation and impacts of investments
(both Domestic Investments and Foreign Direct Investments)
Investment patterns / partnerships and the impact on pro-poor growth
Patterns of growth:
-Comparative geographical analysis of growth experiences.

-Analysis of economic opportunities of households at the community level.

Researchers with other proposals addressing broad based growth are also encouraged to apply.

Background to some of these issues can be obtained from the RAWG publication: Poverty and Human Development Report 2009.

Research proposals need to be forward looking in order to feed into the poverty monitoring process. Outputs of research will be feed into Poverty and Human Development Report and MKUKUTA progress reports. Where feasible, suggested recommendations will be adopted by the monitoring system.

Research Grant Conditions
Any person(s) or organisation may apply for a research grant. However, if a person or organisation not of Tanzanian origin wishes to apply - then the research project must contain an element of capacity building for Tanzanian researcher(s).

A proposal can be submitted at any time.

An application for a research grant will only be considered if a comprehensive, well thought out proposal is submitted, based on the following structure:

Title Page	The title of the proposal should be clear and concise.
Abstract (1-2 pages)	The abstract should summarise the key information from the proposal, including the research?s significance and its potential contribution.
Introduction and Background (2-3 pages)	The introduction should set out the background information to the problem to be studied and the context within which it will be studied.
Problem Statement and Significance of the Research (1 page maximum)	This section should show the core of the intended research, i.e. what it is that one wants to study or investigate. It must be brief and clear.
Research Objectives (1 page or less)	The objectives should state the key objectives of the research and what it is the researcher is trying to accomplish.
Theoretical Background and Literature Review (6-8 pages)	In this section the researcher should demonstrate a good grasp of the most recent literature on the subject. The literature review should give a brief description of what is already known in terms of studies done in the area, policy statements and their implications, and an identification of gaps to be studied and filled, both on a theoretical as well as on an empirical level. It should indicate how existing work contributes to the research at hand, and vice versa, how the study at hand moves beyond this existing work. Alternatively, the study could also show how it builds on the experience of others.
Methodology and Hypotheses (3-5 pages)	The hypotheses are intended to identify the key variables that the research aims at, and the relationships the researcher expects to find, or not find, between them. The hypotheses should guide the researcher in determining the exact information he/she requires from the fieldwork. In this part, the researcher should also indicate the main research methods and techniques to be used.
Policy/Strategy Implications and Feedback	This part should provide information on the intended policy or strategic action implications of the research. It should show how the target group will be involved in and/or benefit from the action resulting from the research.
Researchers and Institutional Attachment	The proposal should include a form summarising the proposal and giving details of the senior researchers involved, including their institutional attachments and CVs and the division of responsibilities within the proposed research project.
Timetable	The proposal should include a breakdown of activities and their approximate timing. The timeframe should be realistic, because it will be binding.
Budget	The grant can cover items such as labour, subsistence, transport, materials and supplies, photocopying and binding, literature, organising seminars or workshops, training of research assistants, pre-testing questionnaires, data coding and analysis, etc. The research grant does not include capital expenditure of any kind.
References	All references in the body of the proposal should appear in full at the end.

Criteria
The following criteria are taken into account when evaluating a proposal for a research grant:

The proposal’s relevance to MKUKUTA and poverty monitoring
The technical merit of the proposal
The competence and potential of the researchers
The potential for contribution to the capacity building of research in Tanzania

Proposals may be submitted at any time to the RAWG Secretariat at REPOA

Last Published June 2010