한국국제교류재단 KF

Support for Policy-Oriented Research

Program Outline

The Korea Foundation’s Support for Policy-Oriented Research program furnishes grant support to research projects or programs that provide in-depth analyses of and policy recommendations on Korea and its relationship with other countries.

Go to KF Application Portal

Eligibility

Research institutions, think tanks, or university-affiliated research institutions outside of Korea

Supported Areas

1Policy research or seminars related to Korea
- Topic examples:
  Issues related to the Korean peninsula: peacebuilding, non-proliferation, foreign affairs, national security, economics ⁄ trade, society, etc.
  
  Cooperation on science and technology: digital transformation, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, etc.
  
  Universal values: human rights, equality, environmental protection, democracy, civil society, job creation, health ⁄ welfare, etc.
2Establishment of a Korea Fellow position which focuses on Korea-related research

Grant Coverage

Project expenses, researcher/staff salaries, indirect costs, etc.

Coverage of indirect costs can be requested at an amount of up to 10% of total direct costs

Tangible assets are not covered.

Grant Period

The grant period is normally one year. However, multiple-year projects will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Program Schedule

Application Period: July 1 (09:00 KST) to August 31 (18:00 KST) of previous year
Notification of Results: by December 31 of previous year (Results will be notified on an individual basis to the email address included in the application.)

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted via the KF Online Application System( http://apply.kf.or.kr ).

The application must be written in English and the budget should be computed in US dollars.

Please answer all the questions on the application. If the section is not applicable, please write“N/A”.

Evaluation Criteria

1Excellence of the research work plan
- Relevance to the objective of the program
- Timeliness of the research topic and related activities
- Thoroughness and feasibility of research methodology and approaches
2Capability of participants + experience in terms of achievements and activities related to Korea and East Asia
3Budget feasibility
- Soundness and cost efficiency of project budget
- Visible efforts to receive matching funds for the proposed project
4Anticipated results of the proposed project and plans for dissemination of research results
- Online ⁄ offline publication (book, research paper, policy memo, etc.)
- Organization of an event (workshop, international conference, etc.) for the purpose of promoting/disseminating research results

Reporting

The recipient institution must submit the following reports within the grant period:
- Final report (signed by the project director, KF format)
- Financial statement (endorsed by institution’s highest financial officer, KF format)
- Project outcomes (Any applicable publications, articles, program books, etc.)
Please be aware that:
- Failure to use designated KF formats or comply with the reporting period may adversely affect the evaluation of your application.
- The KF may ask an institution to submit proof of accounting

Important Reminders

The application must be submitted under the name of the endorsing overseas institution.
Applicant institutions should notify the KF immediately of any changes made to the information contained in an application after its submission.
During the application screening process, the KF may require an applicant institution to submit additional information or adjust its project plan.
After notifying applicants of the screening results, the KF will discuss the details of each project and its budget with the respective recipient institutions. The KF will also conclude a grant agreement with each accepted institution.
After the conclusion of the grant agreement, the KF will remit a grant to each recipient institution. The KF grant must be received and managed by an overseas institution.
Accepted projects should be carried out according to the schedule and plans specified in the application. If the project must be postponed or canceled for unavoidable reasons, the institution should consult with the KF as soon as possible.