Sparking innovation in land & property rights through research

Last date for Application 13 February 2022

Secure land and property rights are an important buffer against the risks and uncertainties faced by the Indian poor. Not only are these rights fundamental in accessing the necessities of life–shelter, food security, income generation–they also provide a means for individuals and communities to recover from exogenous shocks such as evictions, land conflicts, natural disasters, and climate change. Land, especially, is an important resource in India’s largely agrarian economy as it is a safeguard against poverty and provides economic and financial security, rootedness, and social status.

The/Nudge Foundation and Omidyar Network India are committed to supporting research on resilient livelihoods through the pathway of land and property rights through the Research Innovation Program. We invite proposals that enable high-potential research teams to get deeply involved with ground realities and map bottlenecks to inform decision-making. Knowledge generated through this research will in turn help bridge the information gap that is available to entrepreneurs, nonprofits, philanthropists, private consultants, and policy-makers to support and develop meaningful, implementable interventions that result in resilient livelihoods for the economically disadvantaged.

Researchers or teams selected for the Research Innovation Program will be expected to produce:
– at least one journal-level article by the end of the research period
– a document that outlines the impact ladder of the research and strategies to reach relevant audiences
– a limited number of outputs that make their research more accessible (for example, editorials, case studies, policy briefs, workshops, data portals, repositories).

Research Categories

We invite research proposals in the following categories.

• CATEGORY A

  Up to ₹6 lakhs for desk research, legal research, and research that utilizes secondary sources or pre-existing data. The expected turnaround time for research outputs is up to six months.

• CATEGORY B

  Up to ₹25 lakhs for field research and primary research. The expected turnaround time for research outputs is up to one year.

Thematic Areas

We invite research proposals on the thematic areas below and in closely allied areas.
Applicants are encouraged to integrate a intersectional perspective into their research projects.

• Sustainable Livelihoods

• Property Rights, Tenancy, and Land Leasing

• Environment & Natural Resources

Grant Details

• GRANT AMOUNT

  Category A – ₹ 3-6 lakhs
  Category B – ₹ 25 lakhs

• RESEARCH TIMELINES

  Category A – up to 6 months
  Category B – upto 1 year

• TYPES OF RESEARCH

  Qualitative or quantitative research, bias for technology

• WHO CAN APPLY

  Individuals, centers of research, nonprofits, collaboratives

Application Process

• ROUND ONE – Open for all

  Deadline: 13 February 2022
  Submit research concept note.
  Shortlisted applicants will be invited
  to submit detailed proposals.

• ROUND TWO – Shortlisted applicants

  Deadline: 3 weeks after shortlist notification
  Submit detailed proposals.
  Up to 15 proposals will be reviewed
  by the expert jury.

• ROUND THREE – Final shortlist

  Deadline: First week of April
  Presentations to expert jury.
  Proposals selected will receive research support