Page updated: 2026-09-09
Submit by October 12th, 2026. Access a pdf of the application [HERE] to prepare your submission.
The submission form is here: https://forms.gle/TLUFBM57LUCcBvnQ9
The current Program Coordinator is Dr. Ana Contardo Ayala, see contacts at the end of this page.
What is the Pioneers Program?
The ISBNPA Pioneers Program is an annual funding scheme supporting early and mid-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries to conduct a small study — or complete an existing one — and present the findings at the ISBNPA Conference.
Who can apply?
Primary target: early or mid-career researchers who reside and work in a country classified by the World Bank as low income, lower-middle income or upper-middle income.
Researchers from high-income countries may apply only with documented justification of difficulty accessing research funding, assessed case by case by the selection committee.
Previously funded? You may apply again — receiving Pioneers funding before does not disqualify you, though preference is given to first-time applicants (see How your application is assessed, below).
All applicants must:
- Identify a mid-career or senior researcher willing to mentor the project — ideally an ISBNPA member, and they may be in a different country
- Be able to complete data collection and analysis within the programme timeline
- Be available to submit an abstract and present at the ISBNPA Conference
What the programme offers
| Award type | Research grant | Travel scholarship | Conference registration | NESI workshop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-person presentation | $1,500 USD | Up to $1,500 USD | Free | Yes — ECR applicants only |
Travel scholarship: paid as a reimbursement after the conference, on valid receipts submitted within 60 days, not in advance. Keep your receipts.
The number of awards available is confirmed in the call each year.
What the research grant can be used for
Permitted: transport for data collection · fieldworker salaries · data collection equipment and materials · your own salary for specific research tasks (Master’s/PhD students, or postdocs within 5 years of completing their PhD).
Not permitted: compensation for your mentor or other mid-career or senior researchers · institutional overhead or levies · article publication fees (you may separately request an open-access waiver from IJBNPA).
How your application is assessed
Every eligible application is scored independently by each member of the selection committee, out of 100:
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Scientific quality and feasibility | 40 |
| Relevance to behavioural nutrition / physical activity and to ISBNPA’s mission | 20 |
| Capacity building and career impact | 20 |
| Mentorship | 10 |
| Budget realism | 10 |
The committee then agrees a ranked list, and awards are made down that list until the year’s funding is used.
If you have received Pioneers funding before: you are welcome to apply again — prior funding does not disqualify you. Preference is given to first-time applicants: where applications are closely ranked, preference goes first to an applicant who has not previously received Pioneers funding, then to the applicant from the lower World Bank income tier, and then to an applicant whose institution has not previously received a Pioneers award.
Committee members declare any connection to an applicant — same institution, supervision, recent co-authorship, or a personal relationship — and take no part in assessing that application.
How the funding is paid
| Instalment | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| First | $800 USD | On signing the Memorandum of Agreement |
| Second | $700 USD | On confirmation of your abstract submission |
| Travel reimbursement | Up to $1,500 USD | After the conference, on receipts submitted within 60 days |
Timeline
The cycle runs annually, timed to the ISBNPA Conference. Exact dates are confirmed in the official call each September.
| Milestone | Approximate timing |
|---|---|
| Call for applications opens | Early September |
| Application deadline | October 12 |
| Funding decisions announced | Late October |
| Memorandum of Agreement signed | Early November |
| First payment ($800) | About a week after signing |
| Data collection / analysis deadline | End January |
| Abstract submission deadline | Early March |
| Second payment ($700) | Within three weeks of confirmation |
| ISBNPA Annual Conference — you present | Conference dates |
| Travel receipts due | Within 60 days of the conference |
Watch the ISBNPA website and newsletter each September for the official call with confirmed dates.
How to apply
When the call opens, the form and full guidelines are published at isbnpa.org/activities/pioneer-program/ and circulated in the ISBNPA newsletter. Applications are submitted via an online forms — the link is in the call.
Your application will need:
- A description of the study you plan to conduct or complete
- How it relates to behavioural nutrition and/or physical activity
- Your CV and institutional affiliation
- Your country of residence and work
- Name, affiliation and contact details of your proposed mentor
- A budget outline showing how you would use the grant
Submit before the deadline — late applications cannot be considered.
Your data: applications are seen only by the Program Coordinator, the selection committee and the ISBNPA team. Unsuccessful applications are deleted 12 months after the cycle closes; successful applications are retained for seven years as part of ISBNPA’s financial records.
If you are selected
- You are notified by the Program Coordinator by the decision date.
- You sign a Memorandum of Agreement confirming your obligations, the disbursement schedule and milestone deadlines.
- You receive your first payment ($800) shortly after signing.
- You complete data collection and analysis by the end of January.
- You submit an abstract by the conference late-breaking deadline.
- You receive your second payment ($700) on confirmation.
- You present at the ISBNPA Annual Conference, with complimentary registration. ECR recipients attending in person also receive a free place at the NESI pre-conference workshop.
- You submit travel receipts within 60 days to receive the travel reimbursement (in-person recipients only).
If you are going to miss a deadline
Contact the Program Coordinator as early as you can and submit a short written justification. One extension of up to six weeks may be granted, and only where the new date still allows you to submit your abstract in time to present.
Missing two milestones results in withdrawal of remaining funding and cancellation of conference participation.
Questions and contact
Contact the ISBNPA team at executivedirector@isbnpa.org or assistant@isbnpa.org.
The current Program Coordinator is Ana Contardo Ayala
Programme information: isbnpa.org/activities/pioneer-program/
