Weepi

Aim and scope

In line with the overall aim of the WEEPI Foundation, this 3rd call for Stage 1 proposals (3.1) seeks to support clinical, or implementation research projects aimed at improving prevention, testing and care for HIV, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis in the central and eastern European part of the WHO European Region.

To be eligible, the Stage 1 project must focus on at least one of the following aspects:

  1. Reducing barriers to testing, prevention and care for HIV, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis, including stigmatization and focusing on key population groups.
  2. Improving quality of care of people living with HIV, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis, including adoption of European guidance (EACS, WHO, ECDC) into national guidelines and standards and implementation of quality control instruments to improve standard of care.
  3. Generating evidence on new approaches to improving testing, prevention and care services for HIV, viral hepatitis, and TB (including linkage to care), and disseminating the research results at relevant fora.
  4. Developing capacity at national level through training and education of healthcare providers.
  5. Building partnership with other health institutions at national and/or international level. Applicants are encouraged to seek support for the project from national health authorities in advance, if feasible.

Eligibility criteria and requirements

Countries: Organizations/institutions from countries in the central and eastern part of the WHO European Region are eligible to apply. WEEPI encourages project partnerships with researchers in Western Europe. Please note that at least 80% of the budget applied for from WEEPI must be spent in a WEEPI eligible country.

Institutions and individuals: Public health care institutions, universities, university-associated institutions, private and public hospitals, and non-governmental not for profit organizations. 

Applicants must have permanent employment in the applying eligible institution. Applications must be endorsed by the governing body of the institution. In case the individual(s) who applied for the grant leaves the institution, the grant as well as the responsibility for completing the project remains with the governing body of the institution.

Stage 1: Stage 1 projects must form a relevant contribution to achieving the aims of the call, especially improving HIV, hepatitis or TB testing, prevention, and care, and reducing barriers to testing as well consider the sustainability after project completion and how results of the Stage 1 project can be used and potentially be scaled-up. Stage 1 projects will be the basis for applying for a later Stage 2 project but must be planned as stand-alone projects. 

Stage 2: Institutions/organizations that successfully complete a Stage 1 project will be eligible to apply for a Stage 2 project of considerably larger size and impact requirements. The Stage 2 projects should build on outcomes, insights and lessons learnt from the Stage 1 pilot project. Project duration will be up to three years.

Budget and duration

Maximum funding per Stage 1 project is CHF 30.000 (Swiss Francs). Project duration should not exceed 12 months.

Submission language

As an exception, applications can be submitted in Russian, if necessary, but only upon prior approval by the WEEPI secretariat (info@weepi.org).

Evaluation criteria

  1.  Relevance of the project to people living with HIV, viral hepatitis, or tuberculosis in relation to the scope of the call
  2.  Methodology sufficient for creating measurable outcomes of project interventions.
  3.  Plausibility of the project for having an impact on the provision of care for people living with HIV, viral hepatitis, or tuberculosis in the applying institution
  4.  Potential of the project for having an impact at national or regional level policy and/or practice
  5.  Quality of submitted proposal
  6.  Ethical appropriateness
  7.  Sustainability (including any collaborations with key stakeholders at national and international level)
  8.  Perspective for expansion into a WEEPI Stage 2 project
  9.  Track-record of applicants (encouraging younger investigators) and capacity of applying organization
  10.  Appropriate budget justifications (details in template) and management scheme
  11.  Disease burden in applying country and/or study population group.

All WEEPI projects must entail clinical or implementation research and should aim at producing and disseminating quantifiable results/outputs and documenting lessons learned.

Deadline for submission

1 April 2025

 

Application form 

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Please download the four templates (budget, Gantt, Deliverables and milestones, Risks and Mitigations) and upload the completed versions in the relevant fields of the application form