Deadline: 8th October 2024
The SDG Challenge seeks to support diverse, transdisciplinary teams to develop transformative, sustainable solutions that will contribute to addressing development challenges under the UN SDGs in countries where Irish Aid works.
In this call, SFI and Irish Aid are seeking solutions that contribute to SDG 2: Zero Hunger, “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”. Applications will be considered that contribute towards one or more of the five SDG 2 outcome targets; improving access to food, ending all forms of malnutrition, enhancing agricultural productivity, sustainable food production and resilient agricultural practices, and maintaining genetic diversity of food production.
Solutions must demonstrate context-specific expected impact in one of Irish Aid’s partner countries but applicants are also encouraged to consider broader opportunities where solutions may have wider impact and may foster learning for regional and sub-regional use.
Funding
- There are three phases to the programme: Concept, Seed and Prize Award.
- Applications to the programme can request up to €300,000 in total direct costs over a duration of 18- months.
- Up to €50,000 can be allocated for use during the Concept Phase of the programme (Months 1 – 6) while the remaining request of up to €250,000 can be allocated to the Seed Phase (Months 7 – 18).
- It is expected that approximately 5 teams will be funded through the programme and enter the Concept Phase. To reflect the collaborative nature of the research to be undertaken and the joint leadership of teams funded under this programme, applications must include funding allocations for researchers based in eligible institutions in both Ireland and in the partner country.
- At the conclusion of the Concept Phase, all teams that are deemed competitive and whose project demonstrates high impact potential may progress to the Seed Phase as finalists. Following the Seed Phase, one or more teams may be provided with follow-on funding from the prize fund of up to €1M.
Eligibility
The SDG Challenge is intended to support highly motivated, transdisciplinary teams committed to developing transformative, sustainable solutions that will contribute to addressing development challenges under the UN SDGs in Irish Aid’s partner countries. It is expected that teams will encompass a range of technical and non-technical skills to address barriers associated with challenge definition and solution deployment, and that they will represent collaborative and equitable partnerships between researchers in Ireland and the partner country.
Teams must include expertise in the STEM research area underpinning the proposed solution, but should also include relevant knowledge or experience in complementary areas such as, for example, international development, economics, behavioural science or others, in order to inform the development, translation (incl. adoption) and impact of solutions. As part of an application, two academic researchers (at least one from a relevant STEM discipline) must be identified as part of the core-team. Funding should be allocated appropriately to reflect the various contributions to the team.
Applications to the prize must identify a core applicant/leadership team comprising a minimum of three or maximum of four members:
- Team Lead (mandatory) – to provide technical leadership and to have overall responsibility for delivery of research programme objectives. It is expected that the Team Lead has a demonstrable track record relevant to the proposed solution and must be based in a SFI eligible research body.
- Partner Country Team Co-Lead (mandatory) – to provide technical leadership, bringing research expertise relevant to the application. The Partner Country Team Co-Lead must be based in an eligible HEI or RPO in the partner country
- Team Co-Lead (optional) – to provide complementary leadership and expertise to that of the Team Lead. The Team Co-Lead must be based in a SFI eligible research body.
- Societal Impact Champion (optional) - to provide non-technical leadership and support to identify and validate challenges, in addition to advising on solution development. It is envisaged that the Societal Impact Champion will come from a non-academic sector and have appropriate experience in areas relevant to the societal impact and international development focus of the application. They will play a crucial role in identifying barriers and developing strategies to overcome them. They may also play a key advocacy role and assist in maximising the societal impact of the solution. The Societal Impact Champion may come from, for example: public sector/government, non-governmental organisations, charities, patient advocacy, philanthropy or civil society. Where a Societal Impact Champion is not included at the application stage, applicant teams should indicate how they will access relevant end-users, stakeholders, etc. to inform the non-technical aspects of the project.
For more information and application.