University of Toronto India Foundation & School of Cities India issue a call for proposals for research catalyst travel grants.
About the School of Cities India
In early 2023, the University of Toronto established the University of Toronto India Foundation (UTIF) with goals to create opportunities for students, faculty and entrepreneurs at U of T and universities across India. A key component of U of T’s engagement with research, entrepreneurship and academia in India is the Foundation’s School of Cities India — a commitment by the School of Cities to engage with students, faculty, municipalities, urban stakeholders, and policymakers in India on a host of multidisciplinary initiatives addressing urban problems.
The School of Cities India aims to conduct multidisciplinary research, mobilize knowledge, and build capacity that helps the Indian subcontinent become more sustainable and ensures that Indians thrive. The approach involves developing India focused urban and rural research, education and engagement programs that through co-creation:
- Engage governments, NGOs, and communities to understand the critical problems facing urban and rural India,
- Co-create new, interdisciplinary approaches to solve these problems,
- Demonstrate these approaches in urban and rural areas,
- Create education and training programs to transfer knowledge to academe, government, and communities, and
- Foster the creation of start-ups to deliver, support, and maintain the co-created solutions.
Call for proposals
The School of Cities India invites proposals from U of T researchers, along with their partners, to develop solutions to a wide range of urban and rural problems in India. Applicants can focus on any problem that affects social, physical or cultural infrastructure in urban and rural places in India. They can also define and address unconventional urban issues in India. We welcome proposals from a wide range of disciplines, encouraging collaborations between researchers from different fields and partners in Indian academia, industry, and/or community-based organizations.
Eligibility
This call is open to tenure and teaching stream faculty, research associates, postdoctoral scholars, or advanced doctoral students at the University of Toronto. Non faculty applicants will need a letter of support from their U of T faculty supervisor. Applicants must be in residence at the University of Toronto and not on leave during the grant period. Preference will be given to junior faculty members and faculty from disciplines previously underrepresented at the School of Cities. We anticipate four or five awards in the first round.
Budget and eligible expenses
The grant can be used to support one trip to India for a team of up to six people, with each trip being up to 10 days long. Smaller teams may budget for more trips per person, as long as the total number of trips and days in India do not exceed the aforementioned maximum. This would include economy airfare, local transportation, accommodation, and per diems. Additional project-related research expenses in India, detailed in an itemized budget, may also be covered if fewer trips are envisioned. These could include seed funding for Indian project partners in support of project activities. The grant cannot cover any expenses in Canada. Travel must be completed by September 1, 2025.
Application format
To apply, complete the application package below and submit to research.sofc@utoronto.ca with subject heading “UTIF Catalyst Fund Submission”.
Proposals are due February 1, 2024, with decisions to be made by March 1, 2024.
Application package requirements:
- Cover letter that includes (max 1 page, 12-point font):
- your interest and experience related to mission of the School of Cities India
- a statement on how you embed equity, diversity, and inclusion in your research practice, highlighting any practices (if applicable) for working in the Indian context;
- a short abstract (250 words) of the research project.
- List of participants, from U of T and India, identifying investigators, students, departments, contact information, areas of research (max 1 page, 12-point font).
- Itemized budget with budget justification, including other sources of funding (max 1 page, 12-point font). The budget is composed of three parts:
- travel for U of T participants identifying who is travelling, to where and duration – no costs are to be provided;
- travel for Indian participants (same as a); and
- any additional costs required for Indian participants.
- Description of the proposed research, not to exceed three single-spaced pages in 12-point font, exclusive of references or appendices. The proposal should carefully describe:
- the urban problem(s) to be examined;
- methodology proposed;
- data sources to be used (including whether the data sources are already available to the PIs and how and in what timeframe those data sources will be acquired if not already available);
- In what way the proposed solution takes a multidisciplinary approach in engaging Indian partners (identify specific partners in your proposal);
- anticipated results of the research, including their potential implications for motivating public policy, professional practice change, or community action in India;
- A project plan indicating milestones and travel dates.
- Curriculum vitae (no more than 3 pages) for each investigator
- For non-faculty, a letter of support from their University of Toronto faculty supervisor.
Project timeline and commitments
- December 13, 2023: Call for proposals open
- December 18, 2023: Networking mixer for faculty interested in India
- February 1, 2024: Proposals due
- March 1, 2024: Results announced and projects commence
- September 2024 – September 2025: Preparation of knowledge mobilization and dissemination products working with School of Cities India staff
- September 1, 2025: Grant period ends
- Fall 2025: Symposium presentation and participation