Call for Proposals 2025: Connecting Indigenous Research and Leadership in Canada and the Global South

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is happy to announce a name for proposals to attach Indigenous analysis and management in Canada and the Global South to enrich the Tri-agency strategic funding alternative Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research Connection Grants being led by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

This name is open to Indigenous organizations or organizations supporting Indigenous-led analysis applications based mostly in the Global South. If you’re a corporation based mostly in Canada, please seek the advice of the Tri-agency strategic funding opportunity. Read the full eligibility necessities beneath.

Overview of the name

This name was developed by way of a partnership between IDRC and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), a Canadian federal analysis funding company that promotes and helps analysis and analysis coaching in the humanities and social sciences. Through its analysis coaching and expertise growth, perception analysis and analysis partnership applications, and by way of partnerships and collaborations, SSHRC strategically helps world-leading initiatives that mirror a dedication to making sure a greater future for Canada and the world.

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Key Objectives

This name for proposals is a devoted funding alternative for Indigenous organizations in the Global South which are in connecting with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities in Canada by way of knowledge-sharing actions. The goal is to co-develop an interdisciplinary, Indigenous analysis agenda and construct alliances between Indigenous researchers in the Global South and First Nations, Métis and Inuit researchers in Canada that will result in broader joint analysis endeavours in the future.

More particularly, this funding alternative goals to:

• assist the analysis priorities of Indigenous Peoples as recognized by them;
• champion Indigenous management, self-determination and capability in analysis for the good thing about Indigenous communities;
• enhance consciousness and visibility of Indigenous researchers, college students and communities in coverage and analysis fora;
• acknowledge Indigenous methods of understanding as an integral part of legitimate and authoritative analysis;
• assist Indigenous-led methods and constructions that deal with respectful and mutually useful information administration, information sovereignty and mental property rights in Indigenous analysis.

The occasions and actions supported by this name for proposals characterize a possibility to have interaction and alternate information on profitable methods of conducting analysis which are transformative and contribute to Indigenous-led analysis, together with holistic, interdisciplinary and distinctions-based approaches[1].

This name for proposals affirms the necessary, holistic and interdisciplinary contributions to human information that Indigenous information techniques make. Furthermore, the name respects Indigenous information techniques, together with ontologies, epistemologies and methodologies, as necessary avenues for exploring the contours of Indigenous information, supporting Indigenous analysis paradigms, contributing to interdisciplinary collaboration and extending the boundaries of information in Western analysis paradigms. As such, candidates are inspired to submit initiatives which are holistic and interdisciplinary and that mirror the full vary of collaboration throughout disciplines and topic areas inside a number of of IDRC’s 5 thematic areas:

Expected Outcomes

This name for proposals will assist occasions and actions comparable to group gatherings and workshops that can mobilize present information, facilitate dialogue and information sharing and promote interdisciplinary analysis methodologies. These occasions and actions will outcome in the preparation of a analysis agenda, technique and/or motion plan that contribute to and assist capacity-strengthening and management for Indigenous communities to conduct analysis. Applicants can select to deal with all or a choice of the following final result areas:

1. Increased assist to Indigenous expertise and analysis careers

• Indigenous graduate college students, postdoctoral fellows and researchers are supported.
• Indigenous Elders and Indigenous information holders are concerned in analysis.
• Barriers to participation and success, together with nation- and gender-specific limitations, are eliminated.
• An inclusive analysis and analysis coaching setting is fostered.
• A science and engineering tradition is fostered.

2. Increased engagement with Indigenous information

• Research into Indigenous information techniques is supported.
• Indigenous science and holistic approaches are supported.
• The understanding of reconciliation amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples in Canada is enhanced.
• The information of Indigenous languages and practices is constructed.
• Intersectionality (gender, age, sexuality and different markers of difference) is considered.

3. Strengthened Indigenous capability and management in analysis

• Indigenous and community-led analysis is supported.
• Rights-based approaches are supported.
• Indigenous possession and management of information is ensured.

4. Fostered mutually respectful relationships

• Past use of extractive and unethical analysis practices between non-Indigenous researchers and Indigenous communities are acknowledged and rejected shifting ahead.
• Ethical and accountable conduct of Indigenous analysis is supported.

Funding Scope and Duration

As a results of this name, as much as seven grants of as much as CAD100,000 will probably be issued. The challenge length for these grants is one 12 months together with all analysis actions and ultimate reporting.

IDRC reserves the proper to fund extra proposals from this name if/when extra funding turns into accessible.

IDRC is underneath no obligation to subject any funds previous to the applicant returning a totally executed Grant Agreement to IDRC.

All grants are topic to ample funds being made accessible to IDRC by the Parliament of Canada or underneath a donor partnership settlement with a selected exterior funder.

IDRC reserves the proper to cancel this name for proposals at any time with out prior discover and/or to not subject any grants underneath this course of.

Eligibility Criteria

Proposals want to fulfill the following eligibility standards to be thought of:

• The Lead Applicant Organization to this name have to be headquartered in an eligible nation in the respective area the place it operates (West and Central Africa, East and Southern Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa). See Annex 1 for the record of eligible international locations.
• The Lead Applicant Organization to this name should have unbiased authorized standing (or “legal personality”) and be able to contracting in their very own proper and title, receiving and administering funds, and have authority to direct proposed challenge actions. Applicants should be capable to exhibit authorized standing by way of written documentation. Legal standing will solely be reviewed if and when candidates are chosen following technical choice.
• The name for proposals is just not open to people or authorities ministries, and companies or branches, workplaces and chapters of worldwide organizations, however it’s open to public analysis institutes, suppose tanks, universities and not-for-profit organizations with a analysis mandate. Regional or nation workplaces of worldwide organizations are ineligible to apply as Lead Applicant Organizations even when these workplaces are registered as unbiased authorized entities in their international locations of location.
• The Lead Applicant Organization have to be Indigenous or supporting Indigenous-led analysis applications. Preference will probably be given to Indigenous organizations or organizations supporting Indigenous-led analysis applications which have established linkages with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities in Canada. Indigenous organizations or organizations supporting Indigenous-led analysis applications looking for to determine such linkages will probably be thought of as properly.
• The analysis staff should embrace Indigenous researchers and, in explicit, ladies or gender-diverse Indigenous researchers.

Eligible Regions

For this funding alternative, the following record signifies eligible international locations the place the lead group have to be positioned. Applications from organizations not based mostly in these international locations won’t be thought of for funding. This record is ultimate.

This record was knowledgeable by IDRC’s present grant-making experiences, our agreements with nationwide authorities and exterior elements past our management that will prohibit organizations from performing the anticipated capabilities of a lead group.

Asia

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Mongolia

Philippines

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Vietnam

Fiji

Papua New Guinea

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Maldives

Nepal

Pakistan*

Sri Lanka*

Middle East and North Africa

Jordan

Lebanon*

West Bank and Gaza*

Algeria

Egypt

Morocco

Tunisia*

Latin America and the Caribbean

Belize

Costa Rica

El Salvador

Guatemala*

Honduras

Mexico

Nicaragua*

Panama

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Colombia

Ecuador

Guyana

Paraguay

Peru

Suriname

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Grenada

Haiti*

Jamaica

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Eastern and Southern Africa

Angola

Botswana

Burundi*

Comoros

Djibouti*

Eritrea*

Eswatini

Ethiopia*

Kenya*

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali*

Mauritius

Mozambique*

Namibia

Rwanda

South Africa

South Sudan*

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe*

West and Central Africa

Benin

Burkina Faso*

Cabo Verde

Cameroon*

Central African Republic*

Chad*

Congo

Côte d’Ivoire

Democratic Republic of the Congo*

Equatorial Guinea

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Liberia

Mauritania

Niger*

Nigeria*

Sao Tome and Principe

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Togo

Legend

* Applications with a Lead Organization based mostly in these international locations are eligible however could also be topic to an additional stage of approval inside IDRC.

Expectations of initiatives

Applicants are anticipated to adjust to the following concerns, which must be mirrored in their proposal.

A) Southern management 

IDRC’s mandate is to advertise inclusive growth in the Global South. Only initiatives which are led by Global South Indigenous researchers will probably be thought of.

B) Partnership with Indigenous teams in Canada

Applicants are required to submit an official letter of collaboration from a First Nations, Métis or Inuit group in Canada.

C) Ethical concerns 

Applicants ought to seek the advice of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (particularly Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada) whereas getting ready their application.

D) IDRC gender equality and inclusion concerns 

IDRC strives for equality in all facets of its work. We assist the era of information — together with by people from numerous genders, communities, histories and experiences — that tackles the techniques that perpetuate inequalities based mostly on id. Inequalities exist throughout a number of and intersecting classes of id, together with, however not restricted to, the following: gender, sexuality, age, class, race, caste, ethnicity, citizenship standing, faith and capability. Taking an intersectional method to gender equality acknowledges these variations and understands range as central to advancing equality. Given that gender inequality is a major barrier throughout all dimensions of range, IDRC invests particular efforts in making certain its work promotes gender equality and inclusion.

For extra background, please see IDRC’s Equality Statement.

Accordingly, proposals ought to exhibit how gender equality and inclusion will probably be promoted and adopted utilizing an intersectional method, each with respect to the following: (i) staff composition and organizations comprising the analysis staff; and (ii) the design and implementation of the proposed analysis.

Applicants ought to confer with Annex 2 for a sequence of questions that can be utilized to assist information these facets of your proposal.

Submission Process

Applicants ought to submit an digital application by way of Survey Monkey Apply earlier than the deadline.

• Complete purposes have to be obtained no later than September 23, 2025, at 23:59 Eastern Daylight Time. Applications obtained after the deadline won’t be thought of.
• Applications may be submitted in both English, French or Spanish.

An acknowledgement of receipt of your submission will probably be despatched to all candidates whose application was obtained earlier than the time limit and time.

IDRC will solicit suggestions from all teams that apply by way of this course of through a web based survey. IDRC will ship the survey to all organizations at the finish of the application course of. IDRC additionally welcomes oral or written suggestions from all contributors in any respect levels of the course of.

Format and Requirements for Proposals

Applicants needing assist or having questions whereas getting ready their purposes are invited to speak with IDRC by sending an electronic mail to educationandscience@idrc.ca properly in advance of the application deadline.

Section 1. Abstract (300 phrases most)

Please present a brief summary of the challenge. It must be written clearly for a non-technical viewers. Avoid acronyms and technical jargon. Describe the growth downside, the goal/goal of the challenge and anticipated outcomes in the type of challenge outputs and outcomes.

Section 2. Description of challenge and justification (2,500 phrases most)

In the doc add part, you have to connect a PDF copy of your description of the challenge. Before writing your proposal, seek the advice of the analysis standards in the name doc. Write your proposal in clear, plain language. Avoid jargon, acronyms and extremely technical phrases.

Include:

• an outline of the background and justification of the challenge, together with a proof on how you plan to attach with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities in Canada and for what goal (600 phrases most);
• an outline of the total purpose and particular targets of the endeavour (400 phrases most);
• an outline of the methodology or method proposed to attain the analysis targets, together with key analysis questions and a piece plan detailing how all actions may be undertaken inside one 12 months (900 phrases most); and
• an outline of how your challenge intends to position gender fairness and inclusion concerns at the centre of all actions and approaches (600 phrases most).

Section 3. Results and dissemination (1,000 phrases most)

Define the main outputs and outcomes anticipated and how they are going to be delicate to native cultures and made accessible in Indigenous languages as applicable. Describe your most important viewers(s) (e.g., students, practitioners, and so on.). Discuss how the analysis outcomes are probably for use, what their anticipated impacts (outcomes) is likely to be and any obstacles to the execution of the analysis or the eventual use of the outcomes. You can seek the advice of IDRC’s Research Quality Plus for Co-Production.

It is necessary to maintain IDRC’s Open Access Policy and Open Data Statement of Principles in thoughts when creating your communication plan. This ought to embrace not solely the analysis outputs themselves but in addition, each time doable, the information that’s created and used for coaching and training.

Section 4. Research ethics (300 phrases most)

Please elaborate in your proposed method to analysis ethics.

Research work have to be carried out in accordance with excessive moral requirements, in holding with IDRC’s Corporate Principles on Research Ethics. The IDRC normal grant settlement additional outlines relevant ethics requirements. Applicants ought to seek the advice of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (particularly Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada) whereas getting ready their application.

Prior to commencing analysis, candidates might have to acquire approval from an official institutional or nationwide analysis ethics physique. In contexts the place there isn’t a official institutional or nationwide analysis ethics physique, the purposes might want to suggest how they plan to arrange an ethics committee for the challenge.

After approval of the challenge by IDRC, profitable organizations are anticipated to submit the ethics and safety protocols to IDRC, and to watch and report on moral dangers and their administration as the analysis is applied.

Section 5. Risk and mitigation methods (300 phrases most)

Please present an outline of the dangers of endeavor this challenge and the related mitigation methods.

Section 6. Project staff capacities (1,000 phrases most)

Briefly describe the establishment(s), proposed principal investigator and analysis staff.

Summarize the core analysis staff members’ experience and earlier work, highlighting Indigenous researchers, particularly ladies or gender-diverse people.

Highlight the staff’s dedication to together with Indigenous researchers, significantly ladies or gender-diverse people, and their methods for fostering an inclusive setting.

Section 7. Budget justification (700 phrases most)

Explain why the requested quantity of funding is required for the proposed analysis.

Additional paperwork

In addition to the proposal, candidates are anticipated to submit:

1. Contact data of the lead applicant and members of the consortium if relevant.
2. A duplicate of the authorized or company registration of the group with whom the applicant is affiliated.
3. Estimated finances in native forex, with a price breakdown by classes utilizing the IDRC budget template. Complete all the tabs besides the Summary tab, which will probably be generated robotically. Save the accomplished and duly signed finances as a PDF doc and connect this to your application. For a listing of eligible bills, please confer with the IDRC Guidelines for Acceptable Project Expenditures. For normal data, confer with the General IDRC Funding Guidelines. Please add data on any matched funding, or extra leveraged sources, which are related to this proposal underneath the “Donor contributions” and “Local contributions” tabs.
4. Letters of dedication from the main and collaborating establishments in taking part, together with from a First Nations, Métis or Inuit group in Canada, and an outline on how the totally different companions, key stakeholders and establishments will collaborate in the initiative.
5. A press release indicating how the Lead Applicant Organization is Indigenous or helps Indigenous-led analysis applications. It ought to record all members of the analysis staff who determine as Indigenous, their gender, group and their connections to Indigenous communities.
6. CVs of the principal investigator and proposed staff members.

Applicants whose proposals are chosen to advocate for funding will probably be required to offer extra documentation previous to affirmation of funding of their initiatives, as outlined in Annex 3.

By submitting this proposal, the applicant confirms that their acknowledgment of the relevant Terms and Conditions for the Grant Agreement, acknowledged and accepted, kind an integral part of the funding application.

IDRC reserves the proper to rescind its choice of a challenge whether it is deemed that the data supplied in the application is fake or deceptive.

Evaluation Criteria and Scoring

The following standards and scoring scheme are used to judge the purposes:

Challenge—The goal and significance of the endeavour anticipated contribution to the funding alternative’s acknowledged goal; significance of the applicant’s chosen strategic theme, based mostly on points recognized in this name for proposals; stage of engagement of Indigenous communities and participation and management of Indigenous ladies or gender-diverse people in the design and conduct of the challenge actions; potential affect and impression in informing the strategic plan of figuring out new methods of doing analysis with Indigenous communities; and high quality and significance of the analysis and/or community-based information being mobilized.	40%
Feasibility — The plan to attain excellence capability to fulfill the targets of the funding alternative; appropriateness of the method and work plan, together with timelines for the design and conduct of the occasion or outreach exercise; management of Indigenous communities in the design and conduct of the challenge actions; and appropriateness of the requested finances and justification of proposed prices.	30%
Capability — The experience to succeed {qualifications} of the applicant/staff to hold out the proposed challenge (significance of related previous expertise and/or artistic outputs of the applicant and analysis staff members relative to their roles in the occasion or exercise); robust illustration of Indigenous Peoples, in explicit Indigenous ladies or gender-diverse people, in the analysis management and staff members; power of the assertion indicating how the Lead Applicant Organization is Indigenous or helps Indigenous-led analysis applications; linkages to Elders and knowledge-holders in the taking part communities; and proof of different knowledge-mobilization actions and outputs which are delicate to native cultures and made accessible in Indigenous languages as applicable (e.g., movies, performances, commissioned studies, information syntheses, expertise in collaboration/different interactions with stakeholders and contributions to community-led occasions), particularly with Indigenous communities, and proof of impacts on strengthening Indigenous analysis capability.	30%

Scoring Table

Reviewers assign a rating for every of the three standards (problem, feasibility, functionality) based mostly on the following scoring desk. The applicable weighting is then utilized to reach at a ultimate rating.

Applications should obtain a rating of three.0 or increased for every of the three standards in order to be really helpful for funding.

Score	Descriptor
5-6	Very good – wonderful
4-4.9	Good – superb
3-3.9	Satisfactory – good
Below 3	Unsatisfactory

Selection Process

Applications will first be screened for eligibility utilizing the eligibility standards outlined in part 4. Research proposals are then assessed by a benefit overview committee. This committee is comprised of IDRC program workers and exterior reviewers from totally different associated disciplines, together with with experience in Indigenous analysis, in gender, range and inclusion, and in information translation and/or information customers, who will assess the purposes based on the analysis standards outlined in part 8.

The ultimate choice for funding will probably be made by the benefit overview committee and will guarantee the cohort of funded proposals displays thematic and geographical range.

Following the choice by the benefit overview committee, profitable and non-successful candidates will obtain notification of the outcomes in December 2025.

Successful proposals might obtain from the reviewers particular feedback to be addressed, together with urged budgetary changes.

The technical choice of a proposal doesn’t represent a proper dedication by IDRC to fund the challenge. Applicants whose proposals are chosen for a suggestion for funding will endure an institutional evaluation. This step assesses the potential threat of fabric lack of IDRC funds on account of weaknesses in the capability of an applicant’s establishment to handle or report on the monetary facets of challenge actions, or due to financial and political situations regarding the establishment’s working setting. IDRC must overview three broad areas in its evaluation of what measures must be utilized to reduce such threat: the materiality of the funding; the administration capability of the applicant’s establishment; and the wider setting inside which the group operates.

IDRC can have no obligation to subject any funds previous to the applicant returning an executed Grant Agreement issued to them by IDRC. See “Outline of the selection process” beneath for additional data.

The course of for finalizing the challenge proposal, finances and administrative documentation is anticipated to happen between January 2026 and February 2026.

Outline of the choice course of

The name is launched. Proposals are submitted by the deadline. Late purposes are eradicated. Incomplete and ineligible purposes are eradicated. A overview committee comprised of IDRC workers and exterior reviewers will learn and rating the full calls for proposals based mostly on the analysis standards outlined in part 8. The overview committee might have to think about regional and geographic steadiness, thematic steadiness of the proposals in addition to a powerful deal with gender. A slate of candidates is ready, and these chosen are requested to finalize their proposal. (Please be aware that the technical choice of a proposal at this stage doesn’t assure that it is going to be funded by IDRC.) Successful candidates are requested to make any obligatory amendments to the proposal, finances and administrative documentation. IDRC conducts an institutional evaluation of every applicant invited to finalize a proposal. For this name for proposals, the overview committee makes the ultimate choice based mostly on the analysis standards and a consideration of the institutional evaluation. Applicant completes any relevant nation approval procedures. IDRC and the applicant enter right into a Grant Agreement.

Post-selection Requirements

Proposal and finances finalization

Prior to finalizing a Grant Agreement, IDRC reserves the proper to request any revisions to the submitted proposal and finances. A revised proposal with the obligatory revisions have to be returned in a well timed method to IDRC.

Country clearance necessities

In some circumstances, IDRC has scientific and technical cooperation agreements with the governments of the international locations the place we assist initiatives. Where such agreements exist, IDRC might require extra or various approval processes to be adopted to adjust to such agreements. Otherwise, grantees should observe the prevailing approval process as required by the authorities authority. This is commonly administered by a coordinating or nodal company of the authorities and varies by jurisdiction.

An IDRC grant administration consultant will advise the chosen applicant if any nation procedures should be adopted. A grant settlement will solely be issued if and as soon as nation clearance(s) is/are obtained. IDRC reserves the proper to not pursue the funding of a specific challenge if the nation approval is just not secured inside six months after IDRC formally pronounces approval of the challenge, as this could jeopardize the well timed completion of the initiative.

After an institutional evaluation of an applicant’s group is carried out, IDRC might determine operational or monetary weaknesses that would pose some administrative dangers to the proposed challenge. In such circumstances, IDRC reserves the proper to request the applicant’s group to associate with one other establishment as a situation of receiving the grant.

Sub-recipients

In circumstances the place the recipient will handle sub-grantees, the nation necessities that apply to sub-grantees are additionally documented in the grant settlement. It turns into the duty of the grantee to make sure that sub-grantees meet these necessities.

Country threat

IDRC funds analysis in areas that reply to the company and programmatic plans and targets accepted by IDRC’s Board of Governors. Project proposals and risk-mitigation measures might should be revised the place:

• challenge actions could also be affected by authorized restrictions on transferring funds or different sources to particular entities;
• on account of bodily remoteness, bodily dangers to IDRC staff in explicit areas or different inaccessibility elements stop IDRC from correctly monitoring and supporting the challenge; or
• relevant legal guidelines and rules stop establishments from accessing funds.

Grant Agreement

Any chosen proponents should signal IDRC’s normal Grant Agreement to obtain funds. Please confer with the General Terms and Conditions for a Grant Agreement. Although there isn’t a restrict on the variety of co-applicants in one application, IDRC will solely negotiate Grant Agreements with the group of the lead applicant.

Timeline and Communication of Results

Activity	Date
Call launch	30 May 2025
Information session/webinar	9 July 2025
Deadline for submitting proposals	23 September 2025
Initial eligibility screening by IDRC	October 2025
Ineligible candidates are notified	November 2025
Internal and exterior benefit overview by committee	October – December 2025
Successful candidates knowledgeable they’ve been chosen for potential funding contingent on assembly any particular situations	December 2025
Unsuccessful candidates notified	December 2025
Award begin date	1 March 2026

Application Deadline

• September 23, 2025, at 23:59 Eastern Daylight Time

Information Session, Inquiries and FAQs

Following the launch of the name for proposals, IDRC will arrange an data session to deal with any queries from potential candidates. This will happen on 9 July 2025, at 7:30 Eastern Daylight Time. Link to session here.

Any extra inquiries associated to the name and application course of must be despatched by electronic mail to  educationandscience@idrc.ca. All inquiries must be obtained on or earlier than 16 September 2025 to obtain a response previous to the deadline date.

Any inquiries which have an effect on all candidates obtained on or earlier than the above-mentioned deadline will probably be added to the FAQs with IDRC’s responses to these inquiries, and with out revealing the supply of the inquiries.

Permission for use and disclosure of data

As a Canadian Crown company, IDRC is topic to Canada’s Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. Consequently, any submissions in response to this name for proposals will probably be managed by IDRC in a way in step with relevant laws and IDRC’s Privacy Policy, together with IDRC’s obligations to reveal paperwork requested by members of the public or requests for private data. More data on how IDRC manages data in accordance with this laws may be accessed here.

All candidates, as part of the application course of by way of SurveyMonkey Apply, are required to signal IDRC’s Privacy Statement and Terms of Use in addition to any phrases and situations of SurveyMonkey at the time the application is submitted.

 

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