PMI Calls for Proposals: Malaria Operational Research and Program Evaluation Grants
The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is calling for proposals to the Malaria Operational Research and Program Evaluation Grants. Through the PMI Insights project, PMI intends to provide funding and technical support for the design and implementation of malaria operational research (OR) and/or program evaluation (PE) research in malaria-affected PMI-focus countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
As defined by PMI, OR is the “application of social science research methods, statistical analysis, and other appropriate scientific methods to judge, compare, and improve policies and program outcomes from the earliest stages of defining and designing programs through their development and implementation with the objective of the rapid dissemination of conclusions and concrete impact on programming.” This call for proposals aims to identify proposed studies that will provide evidence that will help national programs and their partners address operational problems, challenges, or barriers to achieving intended coverage or impact of malaria interventions.
Program evaluation is defined as the systematic collection of information about the activities, characteristics, and outcomes of programs to make judgements about program design, improve program effectiveness, and/or inform decisions about future program development. Findings are intended to inform decisions about program implementation. This call for proposals aims to identify proposed studies that provide evidence around interventions or approaches for which there is already robust evidence of efficacy, however evaluation questions remain around effectiveness under routine program implementation. This does not include upstream research related to the early development of new tools (e.g., product development or initial safety and efficacy trials of new products) for malaria control and elimination nor routine entomological monitoring for evaluating insecticide resistance or therapeutic efficacy studies of antimalarials.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The proposed study must be led by researchers that reside and work within the proposed study country.
- Local entity academic and research institutions legally organized under the law of the country, with principal place of business or operations in the country, and with majority ownership by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the country will be given preference over locally established partners that operate as part of international organizations or institutions.
- Academic and research institutions based outside the study country will only be considered if they are put forth as a partner to the lead institution and whereby the lead institution meets criteria outlined.
Applications should:
- Propose an OR or PE study according to the definitions provided.
- Propose OR or PE implementation in one or more eligible countries.
- A clearly justified budget inclusive of all costs for the proposed intervention/approach to be tested as well as research costs.
- Describe the approach or intervention that will be the focus of the OR or PE; how the approach/intervention will be implemented, including timing, location, and implementation team; and funding for the approach/intervention which may be covered within the proposal budget or in-kind by the National Malaria Program, other implementing partner, or other funding source. Note: if costs of the intervention/approach will be covered by the National Malaria Program, other implementing partner, or other funding source, a letter of support clearly stating as such must be included with the proposal.
- Demonstrate alignment with National Malaria Program strategy / goals / objectives.
- Demonstrate alignment with PMI strategy
Funding details:
- $3 million in funding across multiple sub-awards.
Read more in English, Portuguese or French.
Important dates:
- Confirmation of interest deadline – May 19, 2023
- Fact-finding questions received by – May 19, 2023
- Response to fact-finding questions – May 26, 2023
- Proposals deadline – June 12, 2023
