Research Grant Call for Concept Notes 2012/2013

Science, Technology and Innovation Grant 2012/2013

The 5th Competitive Research Grant

Theme: Health, Water and Sanitation

Call for Concept Notes

Background

The Science and Technology Act Cap 250 and Kenya Vision 2030 recognize the importance of research, science and technology for national development. 

Since 2008/2009 financial year the Government of Kenya through the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) has been administering the Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) grant. 

The grant has been structured to support different specific targeted categories in order to have maximum impact where a total of 633 projects have been funded. 

These categories of products being supported include: - research projects; innovation projects; research projects by women scientists; postgraduate research projects; post-doctoral research projects, bilateral matching grants, research facilities and support of scientific conferences and symposia. 

Under the category of research a total of 168 projects in food security, climate change, renewable energy and engineering thematic areas have been funded. 

The NCST is pleased to announce for the fifth round of concept notes for support of research under the ST&I grant for 2012/2013 financial year. 

This year’s theme focuses on issues related to Health, Water and Sanitation in the country.

The productivity of the human capacity depends on good health and nutrition. 

This in turn enhances economic growth, contributes to poverty reduction and realization of the Kenya Vision 2030 social goal. 

The Health sector has been faced with a number of challenges: communicable and infectious diseases, nutrition deficiency disorders and parasitic infections. Majority of Kenyans continue to seek treatment in health care facilities for ailments that can be controlled through preventive and promotive measures. 

Health statistics indicate that malaria is a leading cause of outpatient morbidity accounting to about 30 percent of the total disease burden in Kenya. Respiratory tract infections, skin diseases and intestinal worms, contribute to over three quarters of total outpatient cases reported. 

In addition, HIV/AIDs continues to pose serious health and socio-economic challenges.

Sanitation and waste management are closely related to human health. Differences in access to adequate sanitation between urban and rural environments still persist. 

The formally planned urban areas are better served than the rural areas, and the urban informal settlements. Approximately 80% of the outpatient hospital attendance in Kenya is due to preventable diseases while 50% of these are water, sanitation and hygiene related.

Water is needed to support life and sustain economic activities across different sectors.

The county’s water endowment is low and currently stands at 647 cubic metres per capita per year hence Kenya is classified as a water scarce country. 

Therefore some of the challenges facing the water sector include: water scarcity, water security, water quality, water catchment management and monitoring of water resources.

To address the above challenges the country needs to increase investments in research and experimental development in the health and water sectors in order to generate innovative scientific solutions to enhance availability of diverse treatment and control measures and new technologies to manage the diseases and nutritional disorders. 

Special attention is also needed to support projects that will contribute to sustainable water management and good sanitation.

Towards this end NCST invites MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL and MULTIDISCIPLINARY research teams from public and private institutions in Kenya to submit CONCEPT NOTES for funding consideration. 

Specific priority areas that need to be addressed include but not limited to: communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, neglected diseases, emerging diseases and nutrition; water resource management, water harvesting and storage, water supply and sanitation and other related areas and their applications in solving health challenges, water supply and sanitation. 

The proposed research work must be conducted in Kenya and must have the potential of immediate application and impact to solving these societal challenges. 

The objectives must be in line with the flagship projects identified in Kenya Vision 2030, Millennium Development Goals and in conformity with the new Constitution. Each application must be submitted by a team of researchers from at least three (3) different institutions.

Objectives of the Call
 

(i) To strengthen the quality of healthcare without further escalating costs.
 

(ii) To address health needs and solutions to support social and economic development.
 

(iii) To increase sanitation coverage for and sustainable water supplies to urban and rural dwellers.
 

(iv) To increase the role of scientific research and technological innovation in contributing to good health and nutrition, water and sanitation for the Kenyan people
 

(v) To enhance technology transfer and adoption in health and water sectors.
 

(vi) To promote collaborative and multidisciplinary solution based research.
 

Concept note format
 

The CONCEPT NOTE should not exceed eight (8) pages (Times New Roman, font size 12, single spacing) and must have the following sections:
 

(i) Title of the project; 

(ii) Background information; 

(iii) Problem statement;

(iv) Justification; 

(v) Objective(s); 

(vii) Expected outputs 

(viii) Methodology; 

(ix) detailed Itemized budget; ;
 

Budget limit and project duration
 

After a peer review of the concept notes, successful applicants will be invited to submit full project proposals. A grant of up to a maximum of Kenya Shillings Fifteen Million (Ksh. 15,000,000) for a period not exceeding three (3) years will be awarded to the successful research teams.

Submission Deadline
 

All the concept notes should be submitted in both hard and soft copies to the address below or delivered to Utalii House, 8th Floor Room 822/801 not later than 17:00 hrs Friday 31st August, 2012. 

Soft copies to be submitted through email: (stifund@ncst.go.ke). 

Incomplete and applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. 

The list of successful applicants will be posted on our websites by 30th September, 2012.

Note:
 

All the applicants who have been funded under ST&I grant with on-going projects are not eligible for this Call.
 

Any work that is being funded by other donors MUST not be submitted for this Call. Any such proposal will be disqualified.
 

Only original work should be submitted, plagiarism is highly discouraged and will lead to disqualification.
 

The application forms are available at NCST Website: www.ncst.go.ke and MoHEST website: www.scienceandtechnology.go.ke
 

Each application must be accompanied by letters of endorsement by Head of collaborating institutions, brief CV (maximum 2 pages) of each research team member and copies of their national identity cards.
 

Any application that does not adhere to multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary requirements will not be considered.
 

The Secretary/CEO
National Council for Science and Technology
P. O. Box 30623-00100, NAIROBI.
Tel: 020-310571/2241349/2213471
Fax: 020-2213215
Website: www.ncst.go.ke