SAGA Progress Report - Competitive Grants

SAGA
B16 MVR Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-8931
Fax (607) 255-0178
saga@cornell.edu

SAGA Progress Report
October, 2002

IV. COMPETITIVE GRANTS

During the first year of the award we focused on four major areas: 1) establishing the necessary infrastructure and logistical support to handle the research component of SAGA at Clark Atlanta University. This included establishing a SAGA/Grants Office with telephone, fax and email facilities, and as well as recruiting a full-time assistant; 2) developing guidelines and criteria for the program; and 3) establishing a direct link between the SAGA/CAU office and the SISERA institutes (which included a visit to Senegal) and; 4) disseminating the grant announcement to relevant disciplines/departments of US universities via web-site, emails and presentations at various professional meetings (e.g., the AEA/2002 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia). Based on the meetings at Cornell University and in Senegal, guidelines for the Competitive Research Grants Program were developed.

During this first year and first round, we received 22 proposals (April 1, 2002 was the deadline). Prior to evaluation, specific proposal criteria were developed as well as a process to apply the evaluation criteria (see Attachment 5). The SAGA office assembled all received proposal packets from the applicants. We communicated with the applicants in reference to any missing or incomplete information. Two blind reviewers were selected to participate in the evaluation process. Prior to selecting the blind reviewers, we developed criteria for the blind reviewers (i.e., evaluation criteria and scale). The blind reviewers were instructed to review all 22 proposals and to rank them. The blind reviewers were given a scale for their overall evaluation score. The blind reviewers were also encouraged to give their comments on the proposals strengths and weaknesses. The SAGA office included these comments in the acceptance packets to the awardees and encouraged the awardees to incorporate the blind reviewers comments into their research.

We also contacted all the SISERA institutes that would be hosting a SAGA researcher. We then forwarded the applicants research plan and a copy of all the deliverables to the hosting SISERA institute. A copy of this information was also sent to the awardees.

Prior to the final awards, the proposals were ranked according to the blind reviewers score. This ranking was based on the average score from both reviewers. From the final ranking, a short list was created. This short list was based on the average score of each proposal. This short list consisted of 13 proposals. Each applicant was contacted and a phone review/discussion was held. From this process, the final awardees were selected. In summary, the final awards were based on the following: 1) Blind reviewer evaluation; 2) the proposed host SISERA Institute evaluation and; 3) the evaluation of the principal review committee members (Drs. Erik Thorbecke, Cornell University and Mesfin Bezuneh, Clark Atlanta University).

We awarded nine (9) individuals, 6 students (3 females) and 3 faculty (1 female). Two other proposals that were rated highly were not funded during this cycle due to, in one case, lack of institutional support, and in the other, not being a Ph.D. student. Each awardee was sent an acceptance packet. The packet included the following items: 1) Cover letter (with instructions for deliverables due prior to fieldwork); 2) Acceptance letter; 3) Award check; 4) Reviewers comments; 5) A copy of information sent to their host institution; 6) A list of the Deliverables.

As of date, all but one, have either been in the field or are still in the field. The host SISERA institutes for the nine awardees are:

Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), Uganda (2 awardees);
Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Ghana (2 awardees);
Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF),Tanzania;
Groupe de Recherché en Economie Appliquee et Theorique (GREAT), Mali;
Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches en Economie et Gestion (CEREG), Cameroon;
Institute of Economic and Social Research (INESOR), Zambia;
National Institute of Economic Policy (NIEP), South Africa.

The total amount released during the first round of year one was $105,000.00 ($5,000 provided to the hosting institution to assist in administrative costs).

Activities anticipated in the next six months

Revise the criteria of the Competitive Research Grants Program using the experience learned from Year one.
Produce a brochure of the Competitive Research Grants Program.
Distribute this brochure to all academic and research institutions on a timely manner.
Collect and assemble the trip reports from the Year one awardees.
Assist grantees in their visit to USAID/Washington, DC.
Participate in various forums and seminars with some of the returning awardees (e.g. Tuskegee University, December, 2002).
Up-date the web site.
Receive proposals, and assemble for review.

Previous Section | Next Section

Return to SAGA Progress Report (October 2002) Table of Contents