WADA Social Science Research Grant Program: 2021/22 Call for Proposals

Established in 1999, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is an international independent agency responsible for combatting doping in sport. Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code.

To support WADA’s research focus, the WADA Social Science Research Strategy 2020-2024 (SSR Strategy) feeds in to its Social Science Research Program (SSRP). A core aim of the SSRP is to invest in social science research to maintain and increase the understanding of athlete behaviours that WADA is seeking to reinforce or prevent, alongside the social and environment factors that influence athlete behaviours.

WADA’s Social Science Research Grant Program has been the main mechanism to fund social science research since 2005. The SSR Strategy expands the scope of social science research activities, with the Grant Program being one key initiative.

WADA believes that understanding the fundamental differences between athletes who choose to compete clean and those who resort to doping or decide to dope (despite being aware of the harmful effects of doping and anti-doping rules) will help to ensure that doping prevention strategies are effective and efficient.

The levels of influence and research priorities for the grant scheme are:

• Athlete
  • Athlete pathway and experience
  • Clean sport behaviours
• Athlete Support Personnel (ASP)
  • Role and influence of ASP
  • Experience of ASP in clean sport
• Education Programmes
  • People investment in anti-doping
  • Effectiveness of anti-doping/clean sport
• World Anti-Doping Program
  • WADA Doping Prevention Model
  • Anti-Doping Policy Impact
• Sport Environment
  • Sport Policy
  • Evolution of sport practices
• Society
  • Horizon scanning
  • Non-sport influences

Applications are invited from organisations of all types (universities, colleges, businesses, not for profit organisations etc) and based in any country.

Grants are available in three distinct tiers of investment. The tier is defined by the scale and scope of the research project. The tiers and grant levels are:

• Tier 1: Providing an evidence base to inform international anti-doping policy and practice, and facilitating international research exchange across academic disciplines – grants of between $75,000 and $150,000.
• Tier 2: Contributing to programme or intervention development or improvement at national level or within a single sport to support the prevention of doping – grants of between $20,000 and $75,000.
• Tier 3: Investing in smaller scale research projects to pilot or examine the viability of interventions, particularly projects led by early career researchers or targeting under-funded regions – grants of up to $20,000.

Investment Tiers 1 and 2 follow a two-stage application process. The first stage requires applicants to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI). Tier 1 and 2 projects that meet the initial criteria will be invited to submit a full application (stage two). Tier 3 projects are only required to submit a single application. The key dates are:

• Expression of Interest submission deadline (for Tiers 1 and 2): 22 November 2021
• Invited full application deadline (for Tiers 1 and 2): 31 January 2022
• Application submission deadline (for Tier 3): 31 January 2022
• Announcement of successful grant applicants: June 2022

Submissions should be made using the online WADAGrants application and review platform.