Releases
WADA launches call for proposals for 2023 Social Science Research Grant Program
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased to launch a Call for Proposals for its 2023 Social Science Research Grant Program (Grant Program); regarding which, we kindly ask Expressions of Interest to be submitted via the Agency’s WADAGrants platform, by:
- 21 November 2022 (23:59 GMT) for Tier 1 and 2 projects;
For full applications to the Grant Program, smaller Tier 3 projects and those invited from the Expressions of Interest phase, the deadline for submissions will be:
- 30 January 2023 (23:59 GMT) for smaller Tier 3 projects.
As part of WADA’s 2020-2024 Social Science Research Strategy – which aims to support WADA’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan by focusing on impactful research – WADA’s Education Committee oversees the Agency’s Social Science Research for anti-doping, including the work undertaken by WADA’s Social Science Research Expert Advisory Group. The Grant Program was restructured in 2020 following a review by WADA.
While a full overview of the Grant Program and application process is available in the Overview and Guidance for Applicants document, the key aspects are as follows:
- There are now three tiers of funding, which are defined by the scale and scope of the research project. Projects in Tiers 1 and 2 are subject to a two-stage application process as outlined below, while smaller projects in Tier 3 need only submit a full application.
- There is now a two-stage application process for larger research projects in Tier 1 and 2, which allows for an initial Expression of Interest form to be submitted for consideration and review before a project is approved to progress to the full application stage.
- There are defined research priorities that are of interest to WADA.
WADA welcomes Expressions of Interest and submissions in relation to any of the following 12 Social Science Research priorities for the 2023 Grant Program. These priorities were approved by WADA’s Education Committee and are fully described within the Overview and Guidance for Applicants document.
- Athlete pathway and athlete experience
- Experience of athlete support personnel in anti-doping
- Non-sport influences
- Sport Policy
- Prevention model
- Effectiveness of anti-doping
- Horizon scanning (learnings from other sectors/industries that can be applied to Clean Sport)
- Evolution of sport practices
- Anti-doping policy impact
- People investment
- The role and influence of athlete support personnel
- Clean Sport behaviors
The Education Committee will review the recommendations from the Social Science Research Expert Advisory Group for WADA-funded research projects in April 2023, prior to seeking formal approval from WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) in May 2023; after which, applicants will be notified.
In order to assist applicants, in addition to the Overview and Guidance for Applicants document, WADA will also host a webinar outlining the application process and providing insights for applicants to consider on 20 October 2022 at 8:00 EDT. You can register for the webinar here. The webinar recording will be made available on the WADA website. We will also publish short videos, in five languages, on the regional barriers and challenges some researchers may face, with a focus on underfunded regions.
For further information regarding the 2023 Grant Program, please refer to the Overview and Guidance for Applicants and Frequently Asked Questions section of the WADAGrants platform; or, contact the Agency’s Education Department at ssr@wada-ama.org.
WADA’s 2022 Social Science Research Grant Program
As it relates to WADA’s 2022 Grant Program, as announced on 5 October 2022, in May 2022, WADA’s ExCo approved twelve projects out of 65 full applications received, for a total of USD $476,931. This funding will cover research projects in 8 countries, across four continents. This is the highest number of projects funded by WADA in an annual cycle, from typically underfunded regions; and the largest total sum of money awarded for a Tier 1 project.
