The Reality of Aid is presently implementing the program, “Catalyzing broad country implementation of the AAA: from aid effectiveness to development effectiveness”. The program aims to contribute to catalyzing country level implementation of the AAA through CSO capacity building, multi-stakeholder dialogue and promotion of good practices. This will be done through the capacity building of national CSOs and the conduct of country case studies/researches documenting CSO involvement in aid policy reforms. The outcomes of the case studies shall inform and strengthen RoA’s advocacy and will be tied in to Better Aid’s policy development strategy to advance from second generation aid effectiveness reforms to third generation development effectiveness in development cooperation.

The target outputs are nine (9) case studies grouped and categorized as follows:

• four (4) case studies documenting mechanisms, processes and structures that demonstrate CSO involvement in aid effectiveness policy reform and AAA implementation, and
• five (5) case studies capturing aid-supported projects/programs that demonstrate nationally significant impacts to the poor and marginalized as a result of CSO involvement in development effectiveness reform in development cooperation and aid..

The case studies should include the role of CSOs’ in promoting aid effectiveness policy reform, monitoring AAA implementation and deepening of reforms to implement development effectiveness principles and mechanisms. The range of research thematic focus shall include Accra principles/key agenda points (i.e., ownership and sovereignty, mutuality and equality in development cooperation, demand driven technical assistance and capacity development, human rights and empowerment, social justice, donor domination and conditionality, south-south cooperation, etc.). Each case study shall contain a minimum of 8,000 to a maximum of 10,000 words in the main text, excluding tables, references and annexes.

Applications for financial support to the conduct of such country case studies/researches are being accepted until 30 April 2010. The application should include the following information:

• Name of CSO/s, brief organizational profile, country of operation
• Draft case study/research title (relating to aid effectiveness policy theme/s reformed or being advocated, and/or specific section/s of the AAA being implemented/engaged)
• Case study abstract covering the key areas of research focus and overall point of the case study

Include for the first category:

• Case study outline, describing (1) the specific involvement/engagement of the CSO, partners and other actors, and (2) the issues/challenges and results/outcomes of the involvement of the CSO.

Include for the second category:

• Name, brief description, objectives and location of the aid-supported project/s
• Aid agency and recipient country agency/ministry
• Case study outline, describing (1) the specific involvement/engagement of the CSO, partners and other actors, (2) the nationally significant impact/s to the poor and marginalized as a result of the involvement of the CSO, and (3) the issues/challenges and results/outcomes of the involvement of the CSO.

For interested groups, please send your recommendations/applications at asiapacificsecretariatrealityofaid.org. The nine (9) successful recommendees/ applicants will be expected to produce the following agreements:

• Name of research institution/researcher who will direct and lead the conduct of the case study processes
• Terms of reference (ToR) among the CSO involved, the researcher and IBON/RoA
• Case study proposal – to be annexed to the ToR
• Work and financial plan – to be annexed to the ToR

The work and financial plan should adhere to:

• generally accepted and practiced case study and social research methodology
• participatory and partnership dimension
• addition of multi-stakeholder perspective
• transparency.

Below is the indicative schedule for the submission of research outputs:

Case study outputs that will be officially accepted will be published and disseminated.