Research increases the commitment and capacity of our partner countries to plan, finance, and implement solutions based on informed decision-making. Through the Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN), USAID partners with higher education institutions in the United States and in USAID partner countries, governments, civil society, and the private sector, to generate and use research to improve development work, while also working to build local research capacity.
Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) is a grants program that funds researchers, scientists, and engineers in USAID partner countries to conduct research in partnership with U.S. government-funded researchers on local development challenges. PEER helps to build capacity among local researchers and research institutions, strengthen research partnerships worldwide, and better translate data and evidence into policy and action. Since its launch in 2011, PEER has awarded more than $110 million to more than 400 projects in 60 countries.
The Research Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) is a global network of over 1000 university-affiliated researchers and experts associated with over 300 organizations. These scholars provide USAID with access to short-term expertise and technical assistance across all sectors and geographic areas, which helps USAID make strategic choices and evidence-based programming decisions.
The Long-Term Assistance and Services for Research (LASER) is a global network of university researchers and development practitioners collaborating on practical solutions to critical development challenges. LASER translates data and findings into development impact and builds technical and research capacity in USAID partner countries.
The Building Research and Innovation for Development, Generating Evidence, and Training (BRIDGE-Train) programs leverage partnerships between higher education institutions in the United States and in Guatemala and Ghana to develop research, innovation, and training centers. These centers generate knowledge to address local and national development priorities.
The Bringing Research to Impact for Development, Global Engagement, and Utilization (BRIDGE-U) programs work with higher education institutions in Liberia and Peru to promote the effective use of research, to strengthen the pipeline of local researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners skilled in facilitating research utilization; and to build a knowledge base for effectively using research evidence to create development impact.
NEW The Expanding Partnerships, Learning, and Research (EXPLORE) Annual Program Statement (APS) seeks global partners interested in co-creating with USAID to determine effective interventions in support of using and integrating research and evidence in USAID’s programming, decision-making, and problem-solving efforts. Under EXPLORE, the Strategic Partnerships For Advancing Research And Knowledge (SPARK) Addendum will provide U.S. and global researchers an opportunity to collaboratively study development challenges and develop possible solutions. Keep an eye out for new addenda as they are released on grants.gov!
Concluded Programs
The Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) 1.0 Portfolio (2012 - 2022)
The Science, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships Annual Program Statement (STIP APS) (2018 - 2024)
The Accelerating Local Potential (ALP) (2018 - 2022)
Seeding Labs (2014 - 2016)