What is the Policy Action Research Fund?

The action research component of M4P2 will fund research, on a competitive bidding basis, that is intended to lead to the adoption of market-oriented and pro-poor policy change in Vietnam. Grants will be awarded to research institutes and credible stakeholder groupings to support relevant research in three key thematic areas: i) value chain development; ii) public – private partnership in infrastructure services; and iii) labour markets.

The action research component is expected to fund two studies per year in each of the three focus areas of the project (i.e. value chains, labour markets, and PPP in infrastructure); a total of six studies per year. It is expected that at least 12 research studies will be undertaken by the completion of the project in 2011. The maximum grant size will be modest at US$ 70,000 per research study.