The Arab Science and Technology Foundation is an independent, nongovernmental, non-profit regional and international organization. Scientists and researchers from inside and outside the Arab world as well as representatives of Arab and international science centres and organizations have contributed to its establishment.

GRANT

The ALJ Grant program aims at enhancing civilian R&D activities inside the Arab world towards outputs that contribute to the sustained social and economic development. Emphases are placed on research proposals in medical, engineering, applied sciences, and other sciences that are meeting the following requirements:

- Provide appropriate technologies for developing the Arab world communities
- Develop affordable products through designs, materials and mechanisms whilst building a suitable business plans and strategies that benefit the Arab world communities.
- Address target markets including, but not limited to, energy, medical care, water purification, environmental hazardous, telecommunication, food safety, plant improvement and breeding, household equipment, and others.

Furthermore, one third of the ALJ Grant is to be utilised on projects that address the problems of the poor, as defined by one or more of the following requirements:

- Aggressively improve the affordability of technology products such that the poor can use them.
- Develop technologies that can be used by the poor to alleviate their current position.

The deadlines pertaining to the current funding cycle of 2009 (FFC09) are:

Letter of Intent Application Submission 25 April 2009
Call for Full Proposals of Eligible Applications 10 May 2009
Submission of Eligible Full Proposals 10 June 2009
Announcement of Winning Proposals 25 June 2009

It is worth mentioning that over the seven previous funding cycles, 69 research projects from 12 Arab countries were funded, with grants for each project in the range of $25,000-$50,000 US.
Considering the time schedule above, the Arab scientists inside the Arab World are invited to apply for this grant. There are two funding cycles per year, bearing in mind that the application process should start by filling out the "Solicitation for Letter of Intent".

For detailed information about the grant guidelines, relevant fields; and procedures, please click:

http://www.astf.net/site/zone/zone.asp?ogzid=10195