ETH4D Humanitarian Action Challenges (HAC) Grants

ETH4D Humanitarian Action Challenges (HAC)

The goal of the ETH4D Humanitarian Action Challenges is to support project-based research between ETH Zurich researchers and EPFL researchers and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to leverage science and technology for a greater impact of humanitarian action.

Some of the Downloadmain issues, priorities and requirements for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) can be found in this document (PDF, 651 KB). Researchers submitting an application for the Humanitarian Action Challenges are strongly encouraged to review these ICRC priority areas.

external pagePrevious Humanitarian Action Challenges Projects.

The external pageEngineering for Humanitarian Action (EHA) partnership between ETH Zurich, EPFL and the ICRC is supported by the external pageStavros Niarchos Foundation, external pageRolex and the external pageFoundation for the ICRC.

The next call for applications will open in fall/winter 2024.

Connect with the ICRC

If you have a specific interest, we can help you identify suitable partners at the ICRC. For more information please reach out to .

Proposals need to address a clearly defined research question that has the objective of increasing the impact of humanitarian action. Humanitarian Action Challenges must develop, test, evaluate or implement an innovative product, policy or service – involving a technology that responds to a specific humanitarian challenge.

The team must consist of at least one main applicant from ETH who holds a PhD, and at least one partner from the ICRC.

It is encouraged (but not mandatory) to have one partner from a low- or lower-middle-income country, one from EPFL (which allows for a parallel external pagesubmission at EPFL) or a partner from another humanitarian organisation. Partners from the rest of the ETH Domain (PSI, WSL, Empa, and Eawag) are welcome to join as co-applicants.
If the main applicant is not an ETH professor, a letter of commitment by the ETH host professor or head of the unit, indicating their financial contribution to the project, must accompany the proposal.

Grant Sum: 50 - 300 kCHF

Matching Funds: The main applicant and potential co-applicants from the ETH domain (excluding EPFL) must provide matching funds corresponding to at least 25% of the requested grant. Matching funds can come from third-parties or professorship reserves. Staff costs of doctoral students, post-docs and research assistants in Switzerland that are not funded by the grant count as matching funds.

Project Duration: 6 - 24 months

Completed Downloadapplication form (DOCX, 61 KB)
Bibliography
Work packages and Milestones shown in a Gantt-Chart.
DownloadBudget (XLSX, 74 KB), which must include matching funds.
Letter of support from the ICRC, showcasing long-term commitment to the project and signed by both the ICRC project manager and the ICRC project sponsor (typically head of unit). The letter should clearly articulate the question to be addressed in the project, its relevance to the organization, and the contributions (staff time and/or financial, if applicable) the partner is willing to make to the project.
DownloadCVs of all involved partners (DOCX, 30 KB) (max. 2 pages per person).

Please consult the DownloadHumanitarian Action Challenges Guidelines (PDF, 270 KB) before applying.

All application documents must be written in English and must be submitted electronically (in one single PDF file) in the online form below.

Submit your HAC application.

The Humanitarian Action Challenges are part of the external pageEngineering for Humanitarian Action Initiative.