Application Deadline: 31 July 2026, 23:59 UTC
LOCATION: USA
The Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC) is pleased to announce the launch of its 2026 Spotlight Research Grants Program in partnership with the French Red Cross Foundation, focused on the theme of principled and accountable use of technology in humanitarian action. This initiative aims to deepen our understanding of how ICTs, including emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied humanely, ethically, and responsibly in humanitarian contexts by supporting original research in low- and middle-income countries.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must be affiliated with an accredited university at the time of submission, including PhD candidates, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty members. Teams of researchers are welcome to submit proposals.
Researchers should come from disciplines in social sciences and humanities, such as sociology, anthropology, law, human geography, management, behavioral studies, psychology, etc.
Applications are open to researchers who are nationals of 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 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 1 November 2026 to 30 June 30 2027.
Researchers may conduct their research in any language, but the final research paper must be submitted in English or French. If translation into English is needed, the budget proposal should include estimated costs for translation services.
BENEFIT:
Awards provide $10,000 USD for research lasting up to eight months, with a completion deadline of June 30, 2027. 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. Research can be conducted in English or French.
