Science Policy Incubator Grant on Water Diplomacy

Setting the Research Agenda Multimedia

The objective of this grant is to give policy-oriented scholars of water diplomacy and hydropolitics an opportunity to bridge their research to policy. This might involve repackaging research for different audiences, preparing training materials, making a communications plan, or more generally connecting with the right policy makers, and intervening in the right arenas. The objective is to ensure that expertise and experience from scientific research in the social sciences is reaching the audience that would benefit from it, and ultimately that this science can inform sustainable cooperation over shared resources.

The objective of this grant is to respond to the challenge outlined about: to give policy-oriented scholars of water diplomacy and hydropolitics an opportunity to bridge their research to policy. This might involve scholars repackaging their research for different audiences, preparing training materials, communications plans, or more generally connecting with the right policy makers, and intervening in the right arenas. The objective is to ensure that expertise and experience from scientific research in the social sciences is reaching the audience that would benefit from it, and ultimately that this science can inform sustainable cooperation over shared resources.

What is included?

The Science Policy Incubator Grant on Water Diplomacy aims to provide scientists with an opportunity to strengthen the potential policy impact of their research. Projects considered will make an explicit case for the policy relevance or need for this research. Through the grant program, the Geneva Water Hub hopes to build a community of practice on science-diplomacy and science-policy processes. The successful candidates will be awarded with:

Funding of individuals up to a maximum of 12,500 CHF to be used in the 6 months following award. The total funding envelope is 25,000 CHF to be divided into 2-3 projects.
The funds can be used towards a wide range of activities including:
- Applied research: strategies to inform specific policy processes, strategies for translating the results of science into effective policy, stakeholder mapping, adapting a conceptual paper to a new case study
- Knowledge transfer activities: transforming academic article(s) into policy briefs, training materials, communications packages or digital tools
- Engagement activities: Outreach activities, organizing dialogues or roundtables with water authorities or diplomats, connecting with policy-makers, intervening in policy arenas
A visit to Geneva in December 2025 for the final wrap up meeting and event.
Support from Geneva Water Hub staff on science-policy interface conceptualization and techniques, stakeholder mapping and identification, networking opportunities, and Geneva-based policy processes.
At least two one-on-one mentoring sessions with high-level water diplomats.
The opportunity to have your research inform Geneva Water Hub’s work on water diplomacy, through integration into our educational activities and courses and/or through the strategic support we provide to our clients on navigating water-related tension and conflict.

How to apply?

Please send a 1 000-word project proposal, a budget for proposed expenses, a timeline for proposed activities, and a CV (listing your most relevant publications) to research@genevawaterhub.org by April 17th 2025 (23:00 CET). For more information on the SPI grants please visit our SPI Grant page.