Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) Research Grants on Urban Climate Resilience (Up to $10,000 USD)

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The Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) is pleased to announce the launch of its small research grants program, focused on the theme climate resilience in urban areas. This initiative aims to deepen our understanding of urban climate resilience by supporting original research in low- and middle-income countries. The program is designed to expand the evidence base and contribute to building more resilient urban environments in the face of climate change.

GDPC Research Grants Program Overview

The GDPC small research grants program provides funding to university researchers for projects focused on climate resilience in urban areas within selected topics. This program specifically supports scholars who traditionally have limited access to funding, with grants available exclusively to researchers from low- and middle-income countries.
Awards provide up to $10,000 USD for research lasting up to eight months, with a completion deadline of September 30, 2025. This program supports applied and impactful research that can inform policy, planning, humanitarian programming, community action, and so on. Research must be original, and plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification at any stage of the grant process. For more details, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Research Topics

The program seeks to address critical questions under the following topics:

Community-Led Climate Adaptation and Resilience Solutions

Innovations for Adaptation: Investigate community-driven innovations and strategies for climate adaptation in urban areas.
Participatory Urban Planning: Explore how participatory urban planning contributes to climate resilience.

Socio-Economic and Institutional Drivers of Climate Resilience

Socio-Economic Pathways: Assess incentives and mechanisms that enhance climate resilience for individuals and small businesses.
Urban Climate Governance: Examine the role of cities in climate governance and effective climate action strategies.

Urban Ecosystems for Resilience

Climate-Resilient Urban Ecosystems: Define and evaluate the components of a climate-resilient urban ecosystem.
Nature-Based Solutions: Analyze the effectiveness of community-based nature-based solutions in urban settings.

Eligibility Criteria for GDPC Research Grants

Applicants must be affiliated with an accredited university at the time of submission, including graduate (Master’s and PhD) students, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty members. Teams of researchers are welcome to submit proposals, and collaboration among different institutions is highly encouraged.
Identification of an experienced supervisor is required for any student research teams.
Open to researchers from low- and middle-income countries, including least developed and upper-middle-income nations. Research must be focused on these countries. A list of eligible countries can be found here.
Proposed research projects must align with one of the the program’s defined topics and clearly demonstrate how they contribute to the selected area of focus.
Projects must be feasible for completion within the eight-month program timeline, running from February to September 30, 2025.
Researchers may conduct their research in any language, but the final research paper must be submitted in English.

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Scientific merit and rigor, clearly demonstrating how the proposed research advances current knowledge and fills critical gaps.
Relevance and the alignment of the proposed research with one of the defined research topics.
Potential impact and applicability of research in informing policy and practice to more effectively take action in strengthening climate resilience.
A thorough understanding of potential ethical concerns and implications associated with the research, along with strategies to mitigate and address these issues.
Qualifications and expertise of the Principal Investigator and key co-investigators (if applicable) to carry out the proposed research.
Reasonable and realistic budget proposal, including a detailed expense breakdown. For details on eligible and ineligible costs, refer to the FAQ section of this page.
A clear and achievable timeline demonstrating the ability to complete and submit the final research paper by September 30, 2025, or earlier.

How To Apply for GDPC Research Grants

The deadline for submitting applications for the current research call is 12 November 2024 (23:59 UTC). Applications must be submitted through the following application form. The complete application package must include:
Applicant Information: This includes professional affiliation details. Student applicants must provide a letter of support from their faculty supervisor.
Project Summary: A concise project abstract and key information.
Project Description: This form should detail the research background, rationale, objectives, methodology, scientific merit, broader impact, and ethical considerations. Use the provided Project Description template (Microsoft Word or Google Docs). The project description must not exceed 5 pages (A4 size, Arial 11-point font, single line spacing, 1-inch margins), NOT counting references and the project timeline.
Budget: A budget proposal in US Dollars, including a detailed breakdown of expenses and budget justification.
Research Team Composition: Include information about the Principal Investigator (PI) and key co-investigators, along with their CVs.
Letters of Collaboration: For projects involving partnerships with institutions or organizations outside the applicant’s primary affiliation, a letter of support from each partner institution is required.