February 2019 Social Observatory of la Caixa call to support social research projects based on conducting surveys Object The Social Observatory of la Caixa is launching a call to support social research projects based on a survey. How many projects will be funded? The total budget allocated to this call is 100,000 euros. The plan is to fund between two and four projects with this amount, depending on the characteristics of the proposals presented. What research are we interested in? This call for applications is open to research projects that enable new knowledge to be obtained regarding the following aspects of a specific social phenomenon or problem through the conducting of a survey: 1) its characterisation, or 2) analysis of the causes leading to it. Priority will be given to proposals that refer to the whole of Spain if the geographical area is a relevant variable in the research, ahead of those that analyse a situation at a sub-state level. Conversely, the geographical scope of the sample proposed will not affect the evaluation of the project if the geographical area is not a relevant variable in the research. Who can apply? This call for applications is open to researchers or research teams of any nationality conducting their activity in Spain, at universities, research centres or private non-profit entities dedicated to research. 1
What does the grant consist of? This call for applications is addressed to researchers or research groups presenting research proposals based on surveys. The maximum amount for each project is 50,000 euros. This amount includes: Survey costs: la Caixa Banking Foundation will contract the conducting of the corresponding surveys to the public opinion company/companies of its choice, fully assuming the costs involved. A financial grant of 3,600 euros (including any taxes and fees, if applicable) for the researcher or research group as remuneration for the research and writing of the article mentioned in the following section. This financial grant to the researchers will be processed through an agreement with the scientific institution to which the main researcher of the project is affiliated. The commissioned work related to conducting the survey will be understood to have been made in favour of la Caixa Banking Foundation, which will immediately make the results of the survey available to the researcher or research group so that they can carry out the social research that is the object of their proposal. The costs of different survey types with diverse sample sizes are shown below purely as a guide: Indicative amounts for conducting surveys (including VAT) Type Valid sample Duration Amount (euros) Face-to-face 1,200 15-20 minutes 42,500 Telephone 2,000 10-15 minutes 28,500 Online 5,000 High complexity* 23,000 *As regards online surveys, high complexity means an online survey containing between 41 and 60 questions that lasts up to 15 minutes and has numerous logic and design functions. The proposals can suggest values different to those shown, providing that the cost of conducting the survey, added to the financial grant, does not exceed the established maximum amount per project. What obligations are attached to the grant? The beneficiaries undertake to analyse the results of the survey that is the object of the successful proposal and also deliver a previously unpublished article of their authorship with the research results to the Social Observatory of la Caixa, which reserves the right to publish it on its website, although it will not be obliged to do so. The article presented must follow the editorial guidelines of said publication (example of article published on the Social Observatory website). 2
Publication of the article in the Social Observatory of la Caixa is compatible with subsequent publication of the results arising from the research in academic journals considered suitable by the beneficiaries. In such cases, express mention must be made of the financial grant received from la Caixa Banking Foundation. The deadline for submitting the article will be 6 months, counting from the date on which the agreement mentioned in the previous section is signed. The content of the article must correspond to the research question(s) formulated when the application is presented. In order to be able to conduct the analysis and write the article referred to in this section, the successful researchers will receive a file with the microdata of the survey from la Caixa Banking Foundation. The Social Observatory of la Caixa will make this file available to the scientific community once the article has been published. Contents of the application Researchers or research teams interested in participating in this call for applications should present the following documentation: 1. DOCUMENT A (PROJECT) This document must contain information on the following aspects: 1. Social problem and research question(s) (max: 400 words) What social problem or phenomenon do you intend to analyse? What is its relevance? What research question(s) will be answered with the conducting of the survey? 2. Background and innovation (max: 250 words) Why is the proposal innovative? What prior knowledge is there in Spain related to the question to be analysed and why is the proposed research of interest according to this? 3. Features of survey (max: 100 words) Specify the following information as regards the survey you propose to conduct: Type: face-to-face, telephone or online. Target population under study: general population or specific group (elderly, young people, primary school pupils, etc.). Territorial scope: Spain, one or several autonomous communities, one or several municipalities, etc. Sample size. Questionnaire duration (complexity, if an online survey is proposed). 4. Methodology (max: 250 words) Brief description of the methodology that will be used to analyse the survey data and its suitability for responding to the question(s) of the proposed research. The process of evaluating the applications will be anonymous, so please do not include any references that could identify the main researcher or any member of the team in Document A. 3
2. DOCUMENT B (CONTACT DETAILS AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE) This document should contain the following information: 1. Full name or company name and tax ID number of the university or research centre to which the researcher or research team is affiliated 2. Details of main researcher Full name ID card or passport number Post/position Contact email address Contact telephone number 3. Research team (max: 250 words) Brief biographical outline of the main researcher, as well as the other research team members,* if any. *All other team members, if any, must be previously informed and authorise to be included in the proposal. The applications can be presented in Spanish, Catalan or English. Evaluation of applications An external panel of experts in the social sciences will be responsible for evaluating the proposals presented. The aspects to be taken into account when evaluating these proposals are as follows: Social relevance and interest of the problem or phenomenon to be analysed Originality and innovative nature of the research question(s) Technical quality of the proposed analysis Presentation deadline for applications Proposals can be presented until 0:00 on 14 March 2019 and should be sent to the email address of the Social Observatory of la Caixa : observatorisocial@fundaciolacaixa.org. Notification of successful proposals Successful applicants will be notified at the contact email address of the main researcher provided in the participation process at a date no later than 14 May 2019. 4
Acceptance of terms and conditions Participation implies full acceptance of these terms and conditions. Personal data protection Fundación Bancaria Caixa d Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona, la Caixa, Plaça de Weyler, 3, 07001 Palma (Balearic Islands, Spain), is the body responsible for the data processing to administer participation in this call for applications. This personal data will be kept until the end of the applicable limitation periods. The data will only be transferred in order to comply with any legal obligations. Access to this data by technology providers located outside the European Economic Area has all the required legal guarantees. Further information may be requested or your rights of access, rectification, suppression, limitation, portability and opposition may be exercised before the Data Protection Officer of la Caixa Banking Foundation at Avinguda Diagonal, 621-629, 08028 Barcelona, Spain, or by writing to dpd@fundacionlacaixa.org. You may also exercise your rights before the Spanish Data Protection Agency (www.aepd.es). Queries and questions Please contact the Social Observatory of la Caixa at the following email address if you have any queries regarding this call for applications: observatorisocial@fundaciolacaixa.org. 5