Relevance of the application to program objectives for small pilot grants
- Are the objectives relevant to the advancement of the implementation of the 95-95-95 treatment targets by the year 2025 in Malawi?
- Do they advance the implementation of evidence based HIV interventions in Malawi in any of the following?
- Assessment of barriers to implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions
- Piloting of implementation strategies to overcome barriers and improve integration of evidence-based HIV interventions
- Comparison of effect of different implementation strategies to improve integration of evidence-based HIV interventions with other services
- Assessment of costs of implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions
- Are they measurable?
- Do they specify the intervention which will be implemented to improve any of the 95s?
- Did the applicant highlight the magnitude to the problem to be addressed?
- Did the applicant state current interventions to address the problem?
- Did the applicant indicate the limitations of the current interventions?
- Did the applicant identify a specific intervention which has been identified from a study or practice which has been shown to be efficacious in addressing the problem? Do they provide an appropriate reference for the studies or projects which assessed or piloted the intervention?
- Did the applicant specify the critical components of the intervention or is the intervention clear?
- Did the applicant specify how the intervention will potentially improve any of the 95s?
- Did the applicant highlight the anticipated facilitators and barriers of implementing the intervention?
Relevance of the application to program objectives for research fellowships
- Does the applicant’s research plans or PhD concept focus on high priority areas highlighted in any of the following documents?
- Malawi National HIV Strategic Plan 2020-2025 (NSP 2020-2025) which outline Malawi government’s priority HIV strategies and interventions.
- US Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Country Operating Plan (2020-2021).
- Global Fund-supported HIV Interventions for the period 2021 to 2024.
- Is the proposed research focused on HIV Implementation Science?
- Is the proposed study aligned with the HIV priority areas highlighted in the Malawi NSP 2020-2025, PEPFAR 2021 Country Operating Plan, or other relevant documents?
- Has the applicant identified (with appropriate references) an evidence-based intervention, which has been shown to be efficacious in addressing a problem in the HIV program?
- Do you think the proposed study adds something different rather than replicating the current interventions/ strategies being implemented by government or other stakeholders?
- Do you think the applicant’s proposed study has the potential to achieve the desired impact?
Quality of the proposed research and methodology
- Does the personal statement specify how the project will help to develop the applicant’s career?
- Has the applicant got the appropriate academic and professional background to undertake an implementation research study?
- Does the applicant have the appropriate academic background to succeed in this HIV Implementation Science research fellowship?
- Does the applicant have the appropriate academic background to succeed in this HIV Implementation Science research fellowship?
- Has the applicant demonstrated high level of interest and commitment on how he/she will use the protected research time?
- Has the applicant explained how the research fellowship will help with his/ her career growth?
Candidate Background and Career Statement
- Does the personal statement specify how the project will help to develop the applicant’s career?
- Has the applicant got the appropriate academic and professional background to undertake an implementation research study?
- Does the applicant have the appropriate academic background to succeed in this HIV Implementation Science research fellowship?
- Does the applicant have the appropriate professional experience to succeed in this HIV Implementation Science research fellowship?
- Has the applicant demonstrated high level of interest and commitment on how he/she will use the protected research time?
- Has the applicant specified his/her skill-gaps in implementation science, which will be improved during this fellowship?
- Has the applicant explained how the research fellowship will help with his/ her career growth?
Feasibility of the study within proposed budget and timelines
- Do they include objectives to assess the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of the intervention?
- Do they include objectives to assess the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of the intervention?
- Is the applicant simply replicating an intervention which has been implemented before without making any modifications of the intervention?
- Do you think the intervention has potential to be scaled up and have the desired impact?
Mentoring plan, qualifications of mentors, and letters of support
- Does the applicant have mentors qualified for the study? Do they have a strong background in HIV or Service Delivery or Implementation Science research?
- Are the letters of support generic or have a strong backing of the candidate?
- Does the application package include bio-sketch and support letters from the mentors?
- Are there specified deliverables/outputs for this research fellowship?
- Is there a clear plan and commitment for mentorship during this fellowship?
References
- Is there an adequate list of references?
- Are the references appropriately numbered?
- Does each reference contain enough information?
- Are the references from primary research papers?
- Remove marks if the references are mostly from websites and publications that are not peer-reviewed.
