Strategic Partnerships for Advancing Research and Knowledge

SPARK stands for Strategic Partnerships for Advancing Research and Knowledge. It is a USAID-funded project implemented by the Institute of International Education (IIE) beginning in October 2024 and expected to run until September 2029. The SPARK project aims to support research for development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to advance development goals. The program will administer grants, support capacity strengthening, and foster equitable, sustainable partnerships between researchers and higher education institutions (HEIs) in LMICs and the U.S. The goal for SPARK is to support high-quality, locally led research that promotes the understanding of development challenges and supports the generation and dissemination of solutions that advance progress toward development goals.

Read the press release to learn more about SPARK.

No, SPARK is not a consortium.  The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the sole Implementing Partner for the SPARK award.

SPARK supports actionable research for development that is locally led, ensuring sustainability while advancing mutually defined development agenda across different technical areas. SPARK-supported research outcomes are strengthened by connecting local researchers and HEIs with U.S. counterparts for impactful partnerships and capacity strengthening.

SPARK aims to support and strengthen development research in/for LMICs. Therefore, SPARK will collaborate with researchers and HEIs based in or conducting work on LMCIs in any region, and support partnerships with counterparts in the U.S.

SPARK will focus on priority development areas that are locally relevant and mutually defined by stakeholders in LMICs. These areas may include but are not limited to food security, education, energy, climate change, resilience, etc.

SPARK targets researchers and higher education institutions conducting or interested in conducting research for development in LMICs, including U.S.-based researchers. SPARK also collaborates with USAID Missions, Bureaus and Independent Offices (M/B/IOs), national entities, foundations and other partners interested in supporting development research.

Researchers and higher education institutions involved in development research for LMICs can apply for SPARK grants.  We anticipate sharing more information on the grant application process by the spring of 2025. In the meantime, please email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our contact list.

SPARK offers four types of grants:

  • Research Grants support low-and middle income country (LMIC) and U.S. higher education institutions (HEIs), research organizations, and researchers in collaborative research projects to develop and disseminate research products for up to one year.
  • Research Partnership Grants aim to support collaborative research partnerships between LMICs and U.S. HEIs, research organizations, and researchers to conduct collaborative research and support partnership development for up to two years.
  • Research Scaling Grants facilitate LMIC and U.S. partners to scale research and support research and innovation infrastructure and ecosystems, including possibly equipment procurement, for up to three years.
  • Research Connection Grants support researchers from LMIC as well as U.S. researchers from underrepresented institutions. The grants will fund campus visits, conferences, expenses related to research dissemination, partnership development, and co-creation for up to a year.

We anticipate sharing more information on the application process by the spring of 2025. In the meantime, please email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our contact list.

We anticipate sharing more information on how to be involved in SPARK’s activity by the spring of 2025. In the meantime, please email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our contact list.

We anticipate sharing more information on the timelines for the program’s grant award activities by the spring  of 2025. In the meantime, please email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our contact list.

We anticipate sharing more information on grant awards and the application process by the spring of 2025. In the meantime, please email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our contact list.

SPARK offers grants to LMICs researchers and researchers or HEIs involved in development research and partnerships that target LMICs. Researchers based in the U.S. can apply for SPARK grants as long as they meet the application criteria for the grants.

SPARK partners with researchers, HEIs, USAID M/B/IOs, national and non-governmental entities involved or interested in development research for LMICs.

We anticipate sharing more information on how M/B/IOs can buy-in and collaborate with SPARK by the spring of 2025. In the meantime, please email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our contact list.

No, your private and personally identifiable information will not be shared with third parties.

You can find more information about SPARK in the press release.  You many also email SPARK@iie.org to be added to our mailing list to receive updates about SPARK.

Please contact SPARK@iie.org with questions about the project.