Alumni Grant Program Guidelines

Please note: The application deadline for Alumni Grants awarded for 2012 has passed. Please check back again in spring 2012 for the next call for applications.

This program offers grants to Open Society Scholarship Programs alumni only to further expand the knowledge gained during their fellowship and make a positive contribution to their home country. Alumni from the following programs are eligible for the grant program:

Afghan Communications Scholarship Program
American University in Bulgaria (last entry year in 2005)
Cambridge and Oxford Hospitality Schemes
Chevening-OSI Scholarships
CNOUS-OSI Program
DAAD-OSI Program
Environmental Law/Management Program (1996 – 1999)
Faculty Development Program
Georgian Program for Education Professionals
Global Supplementary Grant Program
Mongolian Professional Fellowship Program
Muskie/FSA Graduate Fellowship Program (in the fields administered by OSI, last entry year in 2004)
OSF Maastricht University Scholarship Program
Palestinian Faculty Development Program
Palestinian Rule of Law Program
Social Work Fellowship Program
Soros Supplementary Grant Program
Supplementary Grant Program – Burma
Supplementary Grant Program – Former Yugoslavia
Undergraduate Exchange Program/Virtual University

Eligibility

Alumni must:

Have successfully completed their Scholarship Programs fellowship before January 1, 2012 ;
Be in compliance with the conditions of any past Scholarship Programs and/or Open Society Foundations grant;
Reside in their home country or region during the project year;
Should not be grantees of Scholarship Programs or Open Society Foundations during the project year;
Present a project related to or applicable in their home country or region;
Research-based candidates must be fully or partly affiliated with a Policy Institute or Higher Education Institution.

Grant Proposals

All proposals must be related to the Open Society Foundations’ mission of supporting educational, social, political and legal reform, and of encouraging alternative approaches to complex and controversial issues. Collaborative projects between alumni, across borders, and with host universities are welcome.

A Scholarship Programs alumnus/a must have the leading role in the project. Qualified alumni who are currently engaged in developing evidence- based policy approaches to publish in recognized local media or international peer-reviewed journals are welcome to apply for research-based proposals.

Areas of project activities may include, but are not limited to:

initiatives furthering social justice or community welfare;
activities generating debate/dialogue on local social and/or political issues;
alumni networking and fostering the creation of constructive associations;
research using evidence-based approaches and alternative solutions to current and upcoming policy issues

Ineligible Activities

The program will not support:

individual travel grants for participation in conferences, workshops, classes, etc.;
travel to or from countries not served by the Foundations (western Europe, North America, etc.);
expenses taking place outside countries served by the Foundations (western Europe, North America, etc.);
additional degrees, courses, or certificates for individual alumnus/a;
projects which replicate existing efforts within the country (i.e. local Soros Foundation projects);
Educational Advising Centers, or resource centers, for study abroad;
purchasing of office equipment (computers, photocopiers, fax machines, etc.)

Financial Terms

Applicants may request up to $7,000 support for individual projects; and more for collaborative projects with other eligible alumni.

All proposals must include a line item explanation of the budget.
Budgets should clearly list contributions from other donors and/or explanations concerning acquisition of such funds or services (free space, volunteer office assistance, donated equipment, etc.)

Additional Information

Applications are free and may be duplicated
The competition is merit-based and open to all alumni who meet the eligibility requirements and follow the guidelines
Applicants may submit only one proposal per competition
AGP will fund projects taking place in 2012; therefore, projects should begin no earlier than January 1, 2012

Applications, Eligibility Queries & Detailed Guidelines

For more information regarding eligibility criteria, please contact:

Zarina Usmanova
Program Coordinator
Open Society Foundation
Cambridge House, 100 Cambridge Grove
London, W6 0LE United Kingdom
Email: zarina.usmanova@osf-eu.org

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online using the Online Application System (OAS) at: http://www.soros.org/grants/oas.

Those who do not have access to internet, or who need to submit supporting documentation, may send materials to the address below:

The Open Society Scholarship Programs
Open Society Foundation
Cambridge House, 100 Cambridge Grove
London, W6 0LE United Kingdom
Email: zarina.usmanova@osf-eu.org