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2nd Small Grants Call

(January-November 2010)

1. Summary

The goal of this initiative is to promote new foci and outlooks on security, as well as to open spaces and link new actors to the debate, reflection, and research of the subject. These scholarships are directed at young researchers and professionals below the age of 35 from developing countries who want to contribute to the debate and analysis through working papers, policy briefs and academic research on subjects related to the processes of transformation of the security sector.
With this initiative, we aim to foment a global and interdisciplinary community that seeks to stimulate a new way of thinking security.

2. Application Process and Selection

2.1. Selection Criteria:

The GCST requires that the research proposals include some of the following criteria:

1. The need to observe the impact of public policies and/or international cooperation on poor and excluded sectors of society.
2. The study of the perceptions and demands of poor sectors of society on security.
3. The need to observe the impact of citizens’ participation in the security realm.
4. Incorporate comparative foci to address the local realities.
5. Refer to subjects linked to the processes of transformation of the security sector (Private Security, Organized Crime, Public Security, Regional Security, Governance and Security, Security and Gender, Transparency and Citizen Participation, Police, Peace Processes, Intelligence, among others).

• Although it is not a requisite, the GCST will pay special interest to those proposals whose authors are from the countries or regions on which their studies are developed and will especially welcome proposals that focus on the Global Consortium Working Groups’ topics (for further reference, check the Working Groups webpages here).
• Gender, race, and other minority status will be considered in the selection process.

2.2. Requisites for Applicants:

• Researchers or professionals under 35 years of age.
• Degree or professional qualification in Social Sciences, Law, Economics, Humanities or other related disciplines.
• Residency in or originating from a developing country.
• Professionals with advocacy experience, activists or practitioners from civil society organizations.

2.3. Required Information:

• Application Form (download it here)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Research proposal (1,500 words maximum)
  • (1) The research proposal should indicate clearly: theoretical or empirical justification of the subject (importance); general and specific objectives, methodology, and a brief bibliography of related sources.
• Budget outline
• Letter of recommendation
  • (2) This letter should speak to the qualities of the applicant in professional, intellectual, and personal terms. It should be signed and sent personally and directly by the recommender to the GCST via email.
• Letter of institutional support
  • (3) The letter of institutional support should discuss the type of link the organization shares with the applicant and the institutional motives or interests for supporting the applicant’s candidacy. It should be signed and sent personally and directly by the institutional authority or representative to the GCST via email.

The application can be completed in English or Spanish.

2.4. Final Selection procedure:

• The Secretariat will review all application materials.
• Best applications will be reviewed by a Small Grants Selection Committee that will make the final decision.
• The Small Grants Selection Committee will consist of representatives from two partner institutions and one representative from the Secretariat.
• Recipients of the grants will be contacted by the Secretariat.
• The list of recipients will be published in the GCTS webpage.

2.5. Conditions of the Scholarship:

• The research must be completed in no more than 10 months (January 1st 2010 – November 1st 2010).
• Upon completing the research, the grant recipient must submit to the GCST: 1 report of activities undertaken and 1 final working paper with their principal findings and conclusions.
• Documents that contain information that is not authorized by another author or documents that are suspected or confirmed as unauthorized reproductions will be rejected, and the applicant will have to submit the initial amount of money received for the grant to the GCST.

2.6. Benefits

The Small Grant amounts to US$5,000 and will be transferred to the personal account of the applicant through the following means:

• US$1,000 will be sent upon selection of the research project.
• US$4,000 will be sent upon the receiving 1 report of activities undertaken and 1 final working paper with their principal findings and conclusions.
• The best working documents will be diffused and published online by the GCST.

3. Diffusion and Publication of Working Papers

• The Secretariat, in conjunction with the partner institutions, will select an Editorial Committee for the selection of the submitted works.
• The Editorial Committee will select the best works and edit them in a uniform format for subsequent diffusion on the Consortium’s webpage.
• The working papers should incorporate the main findings and results of the research undertaken. The length of these documents should be between 10,000 (minimum) and 12,000 words (maximum).
• Digital publication does not impede the author of the text from presenting a printed version of the publication in other academic publications (scientific journals, reference books, etc.)

4.  Call for Proposals and Application Timeline

The deadline for submitting applications is December 15, 2009. Applications must be sent through postal or electronic mail to the addresses provided below.

5. Budget

• Small Grants will be administered by the Secretariat with collaboration of the consortium partners.
• 10 grants will be administered per year.
• The Small Grants Fund is US$100,000 (US$50,000 per year).

SECRETARIAT:
FACULTAD LATINOAMERICANA DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES (FLACSO- CHILE)
Av. Dag Hammarskjold 3269, Vitacura, Santiago de Chile.
Phones : (56 2) 2900200 - (56 2) 2900212
Email: securitytransformation@flacso.cl