Application Deadline: December 3, 2024.
Applications are now open for the 2024 Inter-American Foundation Research Fellowship Program. The Inter-American Foundation (IAF), in conjunction with the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), welcomes applicants for its new Research Fellowship Program to advance rigorous field-based research on actionable questions about community-led development in Latin America and the Caribbean.*
- “Community-led” refers to approaches in which community members propose, lead, manage, and invest in their own development efforts through local civil society organizations and grassroots organizations, including youth associations, producer cooperatives, community foundations, faith-based organizations, and countless others thriving throughout the region.
- “Development” includes the spectrum of efforts that affect the well-being of community members, such as the opportunities to live up to their potential, pursue their civic rights, make their communities safer, and protect their natural environment.
- “Actionable questions” should provide insights that inspire decisions by a community-led organization, the IAF, and/or other donors and supporters of community-led development.
- “Rigorous field-based research” should reflect standards and best practices that ensure robust and unbiased results.
Fellowship Requirements
IAF Research Fellows will be required to:
- Prepare and submit to the SSRC a Fellowship Report of 1,250 to 2,500 words, within six months of the expiration of the Fellowship Period, that clearly describes the research question, methods, findings, limitation, and implications for practice and/or policy.
- Develop at least one short, well-crafted, publishable note or other communications piece for the IAF covering key findings and recommendations for local organizations and funders.
- Collaborate with at least one community-based organization in carrying out the field research.
- Participate in a three-day in-person Orientation to better understand the IAF, network with IAF staff and other Fellows, and review Fellowship expectations.
- Participate in IAF-hosted platforms, such as social media and events.
- As required by the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act, Fellows conducting research in a country named in the act would need to clear a country narcotics check and certify compliance with anti-narcotics provisions.**
How to Apply
Applicants can apply in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French, and should write in clear, intelligible prose for a selection committee that is multidisciplinary and cross-regional. Please use Times New Roman font, 12-pt., and 1-inch margins. The application consists of:
- A standard online application form.
- A research abstract (250 words max) that summarizes your proposed research.
- An actionable research statement (250 words max) that describes how your findings may inform decisions by a community-led organization, the IAF, and/or other donors and supporters of community-led development.
- A personal statement (500 words max) that explains (a) what is motivating or inspiring you to pursue this research project on community-led development, and (b) how the proposed research will contribute to your understanding of the topic at hand.
- A research proposal (5 pages max) that includes:
- Relevance. Clearly articulate the research question you will answer through this Fellowship and how it advances one of IAF’s Research Topics above.
- Contribution. Describe the practical implications of the proposed research. In other words, how do you expect your research findings may be useful to community-led organizations, donors, and/or other stakeholders?
- Methods. Describe the methods you will use for field research, the type of data you will collect, how you will analyze these data, and steps you will take to ensure that the data and analysis are reliable. The IAF is open to a range of approaches and research designs including quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods; single-site, single-country, or comparative approaches. Explain why you have chosen the proposed approach for the given question.
- Work to date. If available, a brief description of any related research work done to date, noting any preliminary analysis informing the proposed research.
- A selected bibliography (2 pages max) relevant to the proposed research. You may use whichever standardized citation style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago) you prefer.
More Info: Inter-American Foundation Research Fellowship Program
