The UK committed to spending 0.7% of its gross national income on official development assistance (ODA). In 2015, a new UK aid strategy was published pledging that development spending would meet moral obligations to the world's poorest while supporting UK national interests. As part of this, the UK allocated £1.5 billion to create the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) to promote economic development and welfare in developing countries through world-class UK research, strengthen resilience to crises, and be primarily delivered through UK research councils and academies through independent review. ODA must be undertaken to promote economic development and welfare as the main objective and provided at concessional financial terms.

1. Global Challenges Research Fund
(GCRF)

2. • In 2013, the UK formally committed to
spending 0.7% GNI per annum on
Official Development Assistance (ODA)
• In November 2015, new UK aid strategy
published:
‘…..the UK’s development spending will
meet our moral obligation to the
world’s poorest and also support our
national interest……’
New UK Aid Strategy

3. £1.5Bn Global Challenges Research Fund
The GCRF will:
– promote the economic development and welfare of developing
countries.
– deploy world class research capability within the UK to address
the challenges facing developing countries.
– harness UK research expertise to strengthen resilience and
response to crisis.
– be delivered primarily through the Research Councils and the
National Academies.
– project selection will be managed through independent review in
accordance with the Haldane principle.

4. What does ODA mean?
Official development assistance (ODA) is a term coined by the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to
measure aid.
ODA needs to contain the three elements:
• undertaken by official agencies, including state and local
governments, or their executive agencies.
• Have promotion of economic development and welfare as the
main objective.
• at concessional financial terms: if offered as a loan, having a grant
element of at least 25 per cent.
OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has a (lengthy)
list of eligible countries…….

5. OECD DAC Country List

6. What is Official Development Assistance (ODA)-
compliant research?
• Research that is directly and primarily relevant to the
problems of developing countries.
• Research should investigate a specific problem or seek a
specific outcome which will impact on developing
countries in the immediate or longer-term.
• Research proposals can focus on a development topic or
address an un-met capacity need in the partner country.
• Research does not need to be solely relevant to
developing countries, but developing countries should be
the primary beneficiaries.

7. GCRF Forward Investment Profile

8. GCRF allocation to RCUK

9. GCRF – Global Challenge “themes”

10. Emerging plans……..
Core allocations to Councils: “Foundation awards”
• Global Agriculture and Food Systems Research (BBSRC-
led) (£16M total, each project c.£600K max over 24 months)
• Global Infections (MRC-led)
• Non-communicable diseases (MRC-led)
With co-funding from AHRC ESRC, NERC where appropriate.
Common Pot (RCUK allocation)
• To be determined