The iBoP Small Grants Program was launched in 2008 to provide the necessary funds for researchers in Southeast Asia to bring forth their innovative research ideas, and help create S&T-based solutions to the development needs/problems of the BoP. The Program is extending small grants of up to 25,000 CAD to turn these ideas into action.

The Program seeks to:

• Identify individuals and organizations in the region who are interested in and/or is currently working in the field of S&T development and innovation for the BoP;
• Focus research efforts on new or emerging S&T-based solutions to the social, economic and/or environmental problems faced by the BoP;
• Build the capacity for research on pro-poor S&T innovations among researchers, research councils, and their local networks;
• Establish connections and sustain partnerships among researchers working on S&T development and innovation, and BoP issues in the region, especially those who, because of language or geographic isolation, are not connected to international research networks, and thus, have limited access to references and documentations on best practices; and
• Provide governments and relevant local authorities with specific policy recommendations for enhancing and promoting S&T innovations/capacities that will benefit the BoP based on actual research findings and results.

By science and technology (S&T), we mean the full range of social, natural, medical and life sciences, as well as the physical and engineering disciplines. Innovation refers to the use of new ideas, technologies or ways of doing things, in a place where (or by people for whom), they have not been used before.* 

We are happy to launch the 2009 region-wide iBoP Small Grant Competition that will again solicit research proposals on S&T innovations for the BoP.

*as defined by the IDRC document entitled Research Councils and Support Organizations in Southeast Asia: A Report on Science, Technology and Innovation Systems in Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore