Collaboration Calls & Idea Incubator
Our Idea Incubator is designed to bring together researchers, practitioners, and satellite teams across our network to spark new collaborations and test innovative approaches. Each cycle, we open themed calls for proposals aligned to the Roadmap, provide a structured Submission Template, and facilitate matchmaking across satellites. While not a grant program, this incubator offers visibility, coordination support, and opportunities for alignment with shared priorities.
Current Call Themes
These themes are refreshed periodically to stay in step with our Roadmap. Below are the focus areas for the present cycle.
1. Cross-Context Methods in Practice
We invite proposals that test or adapt methods across different geographic or disciplinary contexts. The emphasis is on comparative designs and lessons that can inform the wider network. Alignment with the Methods Hub is encouraged, especially for projects that aim to generate reusable protocols or toolkits.
2. Equity-Driven Design and Participation
Projects that foreground equity, inclusion, and community engagement are central to this call. We seek proposals that integrate local voices in project design, address structural barriers, or innovate around participatory methods. Applicants are encouraged to articulate how equity considerations inform their rationale and expected outputs.
3. Data Futures and Responsible Stewardship
From open data infrastructures to ethical stewardship of sensitive information, this theme covers the full spectrum of data practice. Proposals should describe how data are collected, stored, and shared, with attention to transparency, privacy, and long-term accessibility. Collaboration across satellites working on complementary datasets is strongly encouraged.
4. Implementation at Scale
Scaling is more than replication—it requires sensitivity to context, capacity, and sustainability. We welcome proposals that explore how successful pilots can be responsibly expanded, including pathways to adoption across diverse sites or institutions. Projects that address both barriers and enablers of scale will be prioritized.
5. Futures Foresight and Emerging Horizons
This theme invites imaginative but rigorous exploration of what comes next. Whether through scenario-building, modeling, or anticipatory governance, we encourage proposals that stretch beyond immediate deliverables and help shape the future trajectory of the network’s work.
Submission Template
To ensure consistency and fairness in review, applicants are asked to address the following sections. Submissions may be concise but should provide enough clarity for evaluators to assess feasibility and relevance.
Question & Rationale
State the central research or practice question and explain why it matters. Describe the problem space, its urgency, and how your proposal connects to the Roadmap.
Team & Satellites Involved
List core team members and affiliated satellites. Clarify each role, existing partnerships, and any open needs where matchmaking support would be valuable.
Methods Overview
Outline the methodological approach. Reference the Methods Hub where appropriate. Indicate whether your methods are novel, adapted, or standard, and why they are suited to the proposed question.
Data Plan & Ethics
Describe what data will be collected or accessed, how it will be managed, and key ethical considerations. Address privacy, consent, stewardship, and any potential sensitivities.
Timeline in Phases
Break down the work into logical phases (e.g., scoping, data collection, analysis, dissemination). Avoid calendar dates—use relative phases to indicate pacing and dependencies.
Expected Outputs
Summarize anticipated outcomes, such as working papers, protocols, datasets, case studies, or practice guidelines. Where possible, specify which outputs will be open and how they will be shared across the network.
Review Criteria
Submissions will be assessed by a small, rotating review group using the following criteria:
- Relevance: Does the proposal align with the Roadmap themes and address a pressing or emergent question?
- Feasibility: Are the team composition, methods, and timeline realistic given available resources?
- Equity: Does the proposal meaningfully engage issues of fairness, inclusion, and voice?
- Reproducibility: Will others in the network be able to learn from or build on the outputs?
These criteria are applied holistically. Proposals are not expected to excel in every dimension but should demonstrate thoughtful engagement across them.
Matchmaking
Not all teams begin fully formed. Through the incubator, we help applicants identify co-investigators and collaborators across satellites. This may involve:
- Connecting teams with relevant methodological experts through the Methods Hub
- Introducing groups with overlapping interests in Roadmap themes
- Highlighting complementary datasets or case contexts
- Facilitating initial conversations via network meetings or dedicated forums
Matchmaking is designed to reduce duplication, encourage synergy, and strengthen the network’s collective capacity.
What Happens Next
After submission, proposals follow a transparent but non-binding process:
- Initial Screening: Submissions are checked for completeness against the template.
- Peer Review: Proposals are read by colleagues across satellites, using the review criteria.
- Feedback Loop: Constructive feedback is shared with applicants, including suggestions for alignment or collaboration.
- Showcasing: Selected proposals may be featured in network meetings, newsletters, or shared workspaces.
- Incubation: Where relevant, we help refine questions, connect teams, and plan for scaling or funding opportunities.
This process does not guarantee funding, endorsement, or publication. It is an incubator for shared learning and collaboration, designed to seed ideas and accelerate connections.
Stay Connected
- Explore our evolving Roadmap
- Learn more through the Methods Hub
- Join the Network to contribute and collaborate
Reach out via Contact with questions or matchmaking needs