Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the MERC Program and how do I apply?
A: USAID’s MERC Program funds peer-reviewed collaborative research projects between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Currently, MERC funds projects between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon and Tunisia on a variety of applied research topics. Download a copy of the pre-proposal application guidelines.
Q: Who is eligible to participate?
A: Only proposals developed jointly by at least one Arab and one Israeli investigator are accepted for funding. Projects involving three or more regional partners are also allowed. Partners may come from academic, private sector, non-governmental or governmental institutions. The only non-regional partners permitted are U.S. institutions, even though this participation is strongly discouraged. An American may be included only if the expertise required for the research is not available in the Middle East and even then U.S. participation must be minimal.
Q: What types of projects are funded?
A: MERC is an open-topic program, seeking applied research and technology development proposals within the broad areas of the natural and physical sciences and engineering. MERC aims to emphasize a collaborative approach to applied research, to strengthen human and institutional capacities in the Middle Eastern countries and to have an impact on regional policy making. Projects may also include an outreach, educational or training component if appropriate.
The proposal is judged on Arab-Israeli cooperation, relevance to regional development, technical merit and innovation and overall merit and feasibility of program approach. Projects relating to agriculture, the environment and health make up a large portion of the MERC portfolio, but MERC is open to receiving proposals from many applied research fields. See the guidelines for more information.
Q: What types of projects are not funded?
A: MERC does not fund purely basic research, physical infrastructure building for only the sake of its establishment, delivery of services, or establishing business or social enterprises. MERC does not place a high priority on surveys, evaluations, baseline data collections, conferences, fellowships or scholarships, or institutional development grants. However, students, meetings and equipment may be funded to the extent that they are an essential part of a well-defined research project. See the guidelines for more information.
Q: Who is the MERC Team?
A: MERC consists of three sections led by the Program Manager at USAID. The technical team and Program Manager are located at USAID. The grants office operates from the U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv. Program support is provided by a Washington-based contractor.
Q: What are the funding limits of MERC grants?
A: Total MERC funding for one project, including all participants, may not exceed $1 million U.S. dollars, including overhead. Projects usually span between two and five years. Proposals of more modest size are strongly encouraged since MERC has a mandate to maximize the number of Arab-Israeli linkages as well as the quality of the projects. Recently, several projects were awarded from $200,000 up to $ 1,000,000 USD. Larger projects approaching $1,000,000 USD are not discouraged, but they must clearly demonstrate their significance, a large number of Arab-Israeli linkages, and their benefit over several smaller projects.
Q: Why does it take so long to get funding?
A: MERC projects must be assessed at many levels: technical content, regional relevance and degree of collaboration. This process requires input from several sources, both within and outside of USAID. If the MERC Committee recommends a project for funding, the applicants must first satisfy all conditions (provisos) dictated by the Committee and peer-review panel. Quick and accurate response to provisos will help move along the funding process.
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