(Please see link to the information webinar video and the FAQ at the end of this page)

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are pleased to release this call for expressions of interest (EoI) to lead and implement research that enhances urban resilience to climate change in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This call is held under the CLimate Adaptation and REsilience (CLARE) framework research programme, primarily funded by the UK FCDO with 15% co-funding from IDRC.

Background

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability highlights the urgent need for adaptation to climate change, particularly for the world’s most vulnerable populations. Similarly, the ASEAN State of Climate Change Report warns that Southeast Asia is already suffering significant climate impacts, which threaten decades of development progress and require immediate resilience and adaptation interventions.

In response to these challenges, the CLimate Adaptation and REsilience (CLARE) framework research programme, in collaboration with the ASEAN Working Group on Climate Change, is releasing a call for expressions of interest to lead and implement research aimed at enhancing urban climate resilience in ASEAN member states.

Scope

This call is the first stage of a process through which CLARE expects to partner with one institution that creates and leads a consortium of applied research projects in lower-income (ODA-eligible) ASEAN countries while promoting collaboration with institution in non-ODA-eligible countries. 

Interested applicants are invited to demonstrate that their organization and proposed team are able to lead a consortium for impactful research on climate adaptation and resilience in multiple Southeast Asian countries. Successful candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal.

How to submit an EoI

First, review the call document , which outlines the required expertise and application criteria

Next, submit your EoI here.

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VIDEO – information Webinar
 
FAQ – CLARE in ASEAN
 
Eligibility criteria
Are networks of ASEAN entities / organisations able to apply, even if they are the ASEAN branch of a global network?
Yes, as long as they are legally independent from their central/global branch.

Are we eligible to be a member of a consortium where the lead of the consortium is based in ASEAN?
Yes, but the majority of the core team should be based in an ASEAN member state (“ASEAN based”).

If a private company based in an ASEAN member state would be eligible to apply for CLARE ASEAN call?
Yes. 

Can core team members be from non-ASEAN countries, as we plan to include team members from Australia?
Yes, but the majority of the core team should be ASEAN based

We are a consultancy company based in France working on climate change adaptation across the globe.
Organizations not based in ASEAN are not eligible to apply.

Can the core project team of a lead applicant engage the services of a professional consultant, and if yes, can such a consultant be from a non-ASEAN country? Yes.

What does ODA-eligible includes?
ASEAN countries on the OECD-DAC list (including ‘middle income’ categories). See DAC-List-of-ODA-Recipients

Can ASEAN based institution apply in consortium with orgs (for profit entities) based in other countries? One ASEAN based institution should be the applicant. That institution can involve colleagues from other institutions, as part of the core team, the majority of which should be ASEAN based.

Would a research organization under CGIAR be eligible as an applicant for this call? No. See section 6 of call for EoI.

We are an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) headquartered in Bangkok… Could you please confirm if we are eligible to apply for the CLARE call? Yes.

Are research organizations based in Indonesia eligible to apply for this grant as lead consortium?  Yes.
If yes, is the research project is taking place in Indonesia is the organization still eligible to apply? Yes. Note that section 4 of detailed call (Scope of work) states “These projects can be single or multi-country and must jointly cover most or all of these ASEAN countries”

Is Universiti Malaya eligible to apply. Yes.  and for the one-page draft, are the executive summary and brief method sufficient? Applicants need to follow instructions in the application portal.

How would you define an international organization? Our organization has an international presence, but we are a secretariat of a network of local government units – are we eligible to apply? Branches of networks of ASEAN entities / organisations are eligible to apply, as long as they are legally independent from their central/global branch.

Can a university from Thailand apply? Yes.
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Multiple application and partnership for joint proposal

Is it permissible for our organization to submit multiple applications, each involving different partner organizations or joint proposals? Yes.

Are there any specific guidelines or limitations we should be aware of when submitting multiple applications? No.

How should we structure and distinguish each application to ensure compliance with the call’s requirements? Same criteria apply to each application.
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Lead Organization, Peer Review Group and Advisory Committee
A clearly articulated approach should be provided to establish a peer review group and advisory committee.
 
While writing the approach to form peer review groups and advisory committees, can we bring research institutes and individuals outside of the ASEAN region? Yes.

Should the lead organisation nominate proposed partner organisation? Not at this point. Research partners will be selected through a call for proposals, to be implemented by the lead organisation in collaboration with CLARE.

Can the members of the Peer Review Committee and Advisory Committee be part of the partners that the Lead Organisation contract with? Yes.

“The call is not open to individuals, to government ministries, and agencies or branches, offices and chapters of international organizations including the UN and CGIAR” Is this for Lead Applicant/Lead Organisation only? May staff of a UN office be a member of the Peer Review Committee/Advisory Committee? Members of these committees can be staff of UN and similar organizations.

Should the lead applicant form a consortium before opening the call for proposals, or will the consortium be formed after the call for proposals? The consortium will be formed after the through the call for proposals.

Additionally, can the consortium include members from outside Southeast Asia?  Specific requirements will be agreed at stage of formulating the Call for Proposals.
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Core team
Each CV should list up to five research grants, including the title, funding amount, and name of the funder.
 
Can we include non-research grants in this section, such as grants for community projects or capacity-building initiatives? Yes, as long as the work presented is relevant for this Call.

Additionally, do you have any specific format or template that you prefer us to use for the CVs?A word or PDF document are required. There is no preferred format. CLARE team We encourage short CVs and similar structures for all CVs submitted, to allow the reviewers to make a good assessment.

Can we also add names of non-key team members apart from five core team members including Gender Expert? No, please restrict to the required number and ensure gender expertise is included.

Do you consider gender composition of the core team members? Yes. Integrating gender in all aspects of the work is critical in the CLARE approach.

Can a core team members be from non-ASEAN countries? Yes, but the majority of the core team should be ASEAN based.
 
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Approach
The proposal should articulate a clear approach to calling for research proposals and demonstrate an understanding of the research network in ASEAN.
 
Can we highlight both academic and non-academic research networks in this context? Yes, as long as the work presented is relevant for this Call.
Specifically, are we allowed to emphasize our connections with universities, research institutions, government agencies, industry partners, and other relevant stakeholders within ASEAN? Yes
 
Ability to Convene and Fund Research Activities
Optional supporting documentation may include strategic plans, annual reports, and/or letters of support or recognition from national, regional, or international bodies.
 
Can we also attach other relevant documents, such as project completion certificates, regional charter signed by member countries, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) reports? Yes, but we recommend limiting the number of attachments, and with a clear focus on relevance for the Call.

Would these additional documents be acceptable as part of our supporting documentation? Yes, but we recommend limiting the number of attachments, and with a clear focus on relevance for the Call.
 
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Gender and Inclusion
The proposal should demonstrate an understanding of the need to integrate gender and broader inclusion in both the research itself and in the selection of project teams.
 
Can we share examples from past projects where we successfully highlighted and implemented gender and broader inclusion initiatives? Yes.
Additionally, can we provide a detailed list of such case studies or reports from past projects demonstrating our commitment and expertise in this area? Please do attach relevant information but keep the submission brief and focused on the requirements for the Call.

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Principal Investigators
Can a PI or core team member be part of multiple applications? Yes.

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Eligible expense
What expenses may or may not be funded by this call for proposals? These will be discussed during negotiation. Guidance on funding is available on the IDRC website
What is the percentage from the total budget allowed to cover the Overhead cost? Guidance on funding is available on the IDRC website.
 
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Intellectual property rights
How does CLARE regulate the intellectual property rights of the research output produced by the project funded by CLARE? CLARE endorses the principles of open access and expects that the outputs of research will be publicly available. Further guidance on intellectual property are described online.
 
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Final selection
How many project(s) will be funded? One organization (to lead a consortium) will be selected through this process.
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