The PIECEs Small Scale Research Grant is an initiative for building research capacity and community engagement development within the ‘Improving outcomes for people with psychosis in Pakistan and India – enhancing the Effectiveness of Community-based care (PIECEs)’ research program. The overall aim of the project is to improve the quality of community-based care for people with psychosis in India and Pakistan by adapting and testing this approach, and up-scaling through the use of participatory arts methodologies and community engagement.
Make sure you read the guidelines before you apply.
Please fill in the application form below and submit with your CV (In English, 2 pages max), completed budget (template attached) and any other supporting information to the PIECEs email address pieces.pk@ird.global with the email subject “SSRG Application Submission 2022”
Download application form here.
Download budget template here.
Deadline for applications is the 30th September 2022, 11pm Pakistan time. Successful applications will be informed with the results by the 20th November 2022 via email and expected to start delivery of the project from January 2023 onwards.
The research is funded by the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research in the United Kingdom) and is led by Queen Mary University of London (UK), Interactive Research and Development – IRD (Karachi, Pakistan) and Schizophrenia Research Foundation – SCARF (Chennai, India), in partnership with Aga Khan University and People’s Palace Projects.
Who can apply to this grant
This Small Scale Research Grants scheme is locally administered by IRD Pakistan (Pvt. Ltd) and open to support individuals or collectives who work as academics, students, researchers, program implementers, health workers, clinicians and advocates who support or work in Mental Health, Arts and Community Engagement and Mental Health Evaluation in Pakistan. Proposals are invited especially from those working at grass roots local community levels and researchers with lived experience of mental health conditions, across a wide range of activities, training and or personal development, in the following areas:
Capacity building – Proposals that involve the development and strengthening of the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that individuals, organisations and communities need to survive, adapt, and grow in the areas of research, clinical, community engagement, community care of people with experience of mental illness, their carers and health workers.
Community treatment of mental illness – Development of projects or resource oriented approaches that provide community day-to-day support and strengthen local awareness around people with experience of mental illness, their carers and health workers to ensure they have resources or pathways of care within their local community.
Arts, community engagement and mental health – Projects or activities that enable public participation and involvement to promote relationship building through learning, action, and the expression of needs and values through the arts, culture or community led activities for people with experience of mental illness, their carers and health workers.
Evaluation methods – Proposals that enable the creation of innovative criteria, approaches and methodologies around evaluating the success of a given program or project in the field of research, clinical interventions, economic or cost-analysis, community engagement and the arts involving people with experience of mental illness, their carers and health care workers.
Funding can be used to cover any directly allocated costs (e.g. staff and suppliers, training courses etc.), subsistence, travel, equipment and community engagement related costs.
Who cannot apply for this funding scheme:
- Any funding applications from individuals or organisations outside of Pakistan
Funding available
Stage 1
- Small-scale research projects (5 grants up to £500 for 6 months)
- Medium-scale research projects (2 grants up to £2,500 for 6 months)
Stage 2
- Applications indicating proof-of-concept in Stage 1 applications will be contacted to submit an application for a small-medium scale implementation research project of a grant amount up to £7,000 for 12 months
Successful Grants will receive direct funding from IRD Pakistan (Pvt Ltd.) upon signature of an agreement between both parties and subject to financial reporting requirements.
Duration
This scheme is looking to fund projects with duration from 6 months to 12 months of delivery life (dependent on funding stage secured and project deliverables). Extensions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Reporting
Partners selected via the scheme must participate in progress meetings with IRD Pakistan and provide quarterly and project-end reports highlighting the activities conducted and outcomes delivered during the lifespan of the project.
Timelines and Selection process
Deadline for applications is the 30th September 2022, 11pm Pakistan time. The selection process will be conducted by the PIECEs Independent International Advisory Board, formed by experts and researchers from the UK, India and Pakistan. Successful applications will be informed of the results by 20th November 2022 via email and expected to start delivery of the project from January 2023 onwards.
Call-out | Deadline | Applicants informed | Project start |
1st August 2022 | 30th September 2022, 11pm PKT | 20th November 2022 | 2nd January 2023 |
Safeguarding
We expect applicants regardless of the type of work developed to have considered their safeguarding responsibilities and to have suitable policies and procedures in place to protect from harm people who come into contact with the project. As per guidance, if your project works with vulnerable children or adults at risk you should:
- Establish good safeguarding policies and procedures that all involve trustees, which fit with the policies and procedures of your local authority safeguarding partner or safeguarding children or adults board (Ethics approval for projects should be submitted upon approval of your proposal within the Scheme).
- Make sure all staff and volunteers receive regular training on child protection or working with adults at risk.
- Manage concerns, complaints, whistleblowing and allegations relating to child protection or adults at risk effectively.Note: This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) via its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme. Grant number NIHR200824, using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research.