Introduction

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Non-Governmental Public Action research programme is a unique opportunity to further understand the impact of non-governmental public action in reducing poverty and exclusion, and in social transformation, from an international comparative and multi-disciplinary perspective.

Public action by and for disadvantaged people, undertaken by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other actors, is increasingly significant at local and international levels. The focus of the programme is not just on NGOs, but on a broader range of formal and informal non-governmental actors concerned with poverty reduction and social transformation. These might include advocacy networks, campaigns and coalitions, trades unions, peace groups, social forums, rights-based groups, social movements and business in the community initiatives.

Building systematically on research to date, this programme will develop theory, generate new empirical theory, and foster beneficial linkages between researchers and users.

The programme is divided into three strands:

Organisations and non-governmental public action
The non-governmental sector and public action
Global processes and impacts in non-governmental public action.

The programme encourages cross-country comparative work and transdisciplinary research. £3.8 million will be available for research projects. Applications have been considered in two streams:

Stream A for funding proposals up to £45,000
Stream B for funding proposals over £45,000 (maximum duration of 36 months).

Funding decisions for Stream A were announced in December 2004. Funding decisions for Stream B were announced in July 2005.

The ESRC NGPA research programme also allows the director to apply for a research grant under the programme up to a capped amount of £100,000. This grant is not automatic and is subject to a separate external reviewing process.

A full list of projects, listed within their different strands and giving the countries in which individual projects are working, is published.

For further information, see the Programme Specification (PDF) or the Programme Leaflet (PDF)

Last updated: 27 February 2007