THE MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL COOPERATION PROGRAM (MERC)

Deadline for receipt of Pre-proposals is December 15, 2020

NOTE: Please read these guidelines carefully, as application instructions change from year to year. The criteria for eligibility and the budget guidance have been updated to provide clarification.Deadline for receipt of Pre-proposals is December 15, 2020

USAID’s MERC Program funds peer-reviewed collaborative research projects between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Established as a result of the Camp David Peace Accords to promote Arab-Israeli cooperation, MERC has expanded beyond its original participants, Egypt and Israel, and also funded Arab-Israeli projects with researchers and institutions in countries across the Middle East region. Arab countries in the Maghreb and Gulf regions are also eligible. MERC currently supports many active Arab-Israeli projects across a wide range of topics.

The dual goals of the MERC Program are:

1. To contribute to development and the quality of life in the Middle East region through the application of research and technology.
2. To contribute to Arab-Israeli cooperation by establishing strong working relationships that last beyond the life of the project.

ELIGIBILITY

Only proposals developed jointly by Arab and Israeli investigators are accepted. Projects must include at least one institutional partner in Israel and one in an Arab country eligible to receive U.S. foreign assistance. Projects involving three or more regional partners are also allowed and encouraged. Due to new aid restrictions, proposals with West Bank/Gaza are not presently eligible in this cycle. The proposal may be submitted by any party in the collaboration. Partners may come from academic, private sector, non-governmental, or governmental institutions.

The only non-regional partners allowed are U.S. institutions, although U.S. participation is not encouraged. If an American partner is included, their role in the project must be limited to providing technical assistance and must be justified as providing an essential technical contribution unavailable in the Middle East North Africa region. The use of any U.S. institution to lead or administer the overall project is strongly discouraged, and is strictly prohibited in the case of U.S. Government agencies. The focus of the MERC Program is on fostering direct technical cooperation between individuals and institutions in Israel and the Arab world.

MERC strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to participate fully in its competitive program. No person will be excluded from participation on the basis of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin (as distinct from current nationality), or disability.