Policies

Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)

Context and Issue

In many developing countries, researchers face significant challenges due to a lack of resources, partnerships, and scientific infrastructure necessary to address critical development issues such as health crises, educational gaps, environmental sustainability, and food security. This hampers their ability to generate data-driven solutions and implement evidence-based policies, exacerbating development challenges. The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) works in developing countries to bridge this gap, supporting cutting-edge research and innovation to tackle these global challenges and enhance development outcomes in these regions.

Solution

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is implemented across 69 developing countries, supporting research to address critical challenges and maximize the impact of innovation to improve lives and opportunities. Managed by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), GCRF is part of the UK’s official development assistance (ODA) and collaborates with UK research councils, funding bodies, and international partners, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The fund promotes multidisciplinary research, strengthens research and innovation capacities, and provides agile responses to emergencies. Key elements include interdisciplinary research, capacity building, urgent research responses, and collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and communities. Initially planned as a five-year program from 2016 to 2021, some projects will continue into 2024. Participants are selected through a competitive process where scientists in developing countries submit proposals reviewed by the UKRI’s International Development Peer Review College, ensuring that developing country perspectives are integral to the expert review. The selection process emphasizes the relevance of research to development challenges, the involvement of southern partners in problem identification and project design, and the potential for impact on social welfare, economic development, and environmental sustainability.

Impact

Since its inception, the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) has significantly impacted global challenges in developing countries by supporting hundreds of projects. It has funded low-cost tools for dementia assessment, established networks for neglected tropical diseases, and promoted democracy in Sri Lanka. Additionally, it enhanced sustainability in Costa Rica's dairy sector, provided electricity to low-income areas in Rwanda, and improved groundwater resilience in Nigeria. GCRF has invested up to £225 million in 37 projects across 69 countries, supported 12 interdisciplinary research hubs with awards ranging from £8 million to £15 million, and involved 400 partner organizations and 550 researchers addressing 16 UN Sustainable Development Goals. These efforts facilitated collaborations between UK institutions and developing countries, demonstrating GCRF's extensive reach and effectiveness.

Analysis

The GCRF effectively addresses research and innovation funding needs in developing countries through international collaboration, capacity building, and a focus on multidisciplinary research. Its success, however, depends on stable and consistent funding, scalability of initiatives, and robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. By aligning with the UN SDGs and emphasizing local perspectives, GCRF has made substantial contributions to tackling global challenges and improving development outcomes in diverse regions.