FSI to award $400,000 for research on global underdevelopment

Researchers at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies are finding ways to fight tuberculosis in India, curb violence in Latin America and improve conditions for thousands of people living in the world’s largest slums.

Their work – and the research underway by other faculty members across the Stanford campus trying to solve some of the world’s most persistent problems – is supported in part by the Global Underdevelopment Action Fund. The program awards up to $40,000 to individual researchers creating projects that tackle issues like hunger, poverty and poor governance.

Since it was established in 2010, the Action Fund has doled out nearly $800,000 to 20 researchers.

Now entering its fourth round of Action Fund grants, FSI is seeking proposals from faculty interested in multidisciplinary research aimed at influencing and changing government policies, creating practical solutions to seemingly intractable problems, and training students.

A new feature of the program is incremental funding of up to $5,000 for projects that include a plan for engaging and mentoring an undergraduate student on the research team.

Award recipients will present their work at a monthly Action Fund seminar during the academic year and submit a summary report at the end of the funding period.

Proposals are due by Oct. 31 and will be announced by vmarian@stanford.edu

Work done by previous grant recipients will be showcased in a series of seminars dubbed “Action Fund Fridays” over the next several months.