Description
Grants will be awarded to projects focusing on issues of practical relevance and current interest to academic, corporate and policy-making communities. The region is defined to include: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine. Groups with a minimum of three scholars, all of whom hold graduate degrees, are eligible to apply. At least one of the researchers must be a US citizen or permanent resident and at least two of the researchers should be citizens and current residents of two different countries of the Black and Caspian Sea region at the time of application. Projects will be evaluated on the basis of their potential to contribute to regional studies, their practical relevance, and their methodological rigor.

Eligibility

Minimum of three researchers per application (one US citizen / permanent resident; two citizens of two different countries of the Black/Caspian Sea region);

All scholars must hold graduate degrees equivalent to masters level or above; and

Successful applicants must demonstrate how their research in pertinent fields will make a substantive contribution to knowledge of the Black and Caspian Sea region, and argue the practical relevance of such knowledge.
Grant Provisions

Grants are not to exceed $25,000;

A total of up to five grants will be awarded;

Eligible expenses include: travel and associated expenses, research expenses, stipends, honoraria, materials, and publication expenses; and

Successful projects may be asked to make changes to their proposed budget prior to the final award decision.
Application and Review Process

Application deadline: May 1, 2002;

Award decision will be made on or about July 1, 2002; and

Successful projects may begin as early as August 1, 2002.

http://www.irex.org/programs/black-caspian-sea/index.htm