(CLOSED) Call for proposals: Turning the 2021 World Risk Poll into action (3 of 4)

Lloyd’s Register Foundation is inviting proposals for impactful research and interventions that will increase the utility and influence of data generated by the 2021 World Risk Poll, focusing on perceptions of risk from AI and misuse of personal data. This funding call is the third of four calls (see other open calls here) linked to separate focus areas of the 2021 Poll. The fourth and last funding opportunity will be associated with Poll findings around violence and harassment at work and will open early in the new year. We also welcome proposals which use data and findings from more than one of these focus areas.  You can email to request early access to the full 2021 World Risk Poll dataset.

The Poll, which was conducted in 2019 and 2021, covers a wide range of topics relating to perceptions and experiences of risk and safety globally. This year we are publishing the 2021 findings through a series of reports and resources. On November 28th 2022 we will launch the results of our ‘AI & Data’ module through a detailed report and associated dataset that will be made available on the World Risk Poll website.

The 2021 data focuses on two main areas: the emergence of artificial intelligence technologies and their increasing role in decision-making processes; and the risks associated with personal information shared online. Our results show there is widespread concern about both issues and that experience of discrimination galvanizes opinion and acts as a significant driver of concern.   This call invites proposals from anywhere in the world to use the data to support impactful projects which are analytical or intervention-based, with the aim of improving safety among at-risk demographic groups in ways that align with the Foundation’s mission.

Lloyd's Register Foundation is an independent global charity with a unique structure and an important mission: engineering a safer world. We reduce risk and enhance the safety of the critical infrastructure that modern society relies upon in areas such as energy, transport and food.

Our strategy includes a cross-cutting focus on evidence and insight to better understand the complex factors that affect safety. Our goal is to improve safety through interventions that are driven by evidence of what works. We anticipate that this will require action across the data – evidence – action cycle to:

• Improve safety data – quality, availability, completeness
• Synthesize evidence to identify and understand safety challenges, and what works
• Understand evidence needs and support the implementation of evidence into practice

We support work which helps us deliver our charitable mission and strategic objectives.

The World Risk Poll began in 2019 and is the first ever global study of perceptions and experience of risk. There have been two rounds of polling so far, with two more iterations planned for 2023 and 2025.

It surveys up to 150,000 people to better understand how to improve our understanding of risk and make the world a safer place. Part of the Gallup World Poll, the survey is conducted through interviews in over 120 countries and up to 145 different languages.  The Poll provides us with a granular picture of the differences between people’s thoughts about and experiences of risk in areas such as risks at work, or crime and violence. This insight is already being used by a range of stakeholders to improve safety worldwide.

Now that the dataset for the 2021 Poll is complete, we want to maximise its impact and ensure the findings are widely disseminated and used. We are inviting applications for projects which will use the data to design and run research and/or interventions – in Lloyd's Register Foundation mission-aligned areas - that aim to make a marked contribution to improving global safety.

We envisage a range of possible outcomes for projects which practically apply the Poll findings through the development of new interventions or by strengthening existing ones.  For instance, a project may focus on better design and construction of technologies to remove bias, the development and implementation of appropriate regulation, or the engagement of vulnerable communities to build trust in these developments.

Similarly, research projects may aim to address data gaps or support hypotheses through secondary analysis of the Poll data and/or to use alongside other relevant data. An important output could be the provision of evidence, disseminated to stakeholders, which motivates action. For example, research projects which find robust evidence for how and why particular demographics are most impacted by safety challenges, that effectively communicate findings to relevant bodies, and consequently influence improvements to public risk information.

General information on funding can be found on the Lloyd's Register Foundation website.  While degree of utilisation of Poll data may vary from project to project, a tangible link with the World Risk Poll dataset must be demonstrated, e.g., your project might address an issue which affects a specific community/-ies that has been identified by the Poll or might embed the data in the proposed work.

Your proposal needs to provide a compelling pathway for utilisation of the findings of the Poll in at least one of the following ways:

Apply the longitudinal data to impactful projects and programmes, aligned to our mission

Design and implement interventions which aim to tackle safety challenges using findings and insight from Poll data to target the intervention, conducting secondary analysis if needed

Use the findings to support the development/implementation of relevant national and international policies, guidelines, recommendations and other risk information

Build awareness of the Poll findings, among influential stakeholders and/or grassroots organisations to help effect changes to policy and practice at a local, regional and/or global level

Conduct further impactful research projects designed to investigate safety challenges identified by the findings of the dataset associated with the 2021 Poll report:  Digital World –Perceptions of risk from AI and misuse of personal data.

• Articulation of vision and plans that have the potential to create long-term impact using the findings from the World Risk Poll
• Proposals that align with the Foundation’s mission
• Evidence of previous experience of data analysis, and/or knowledge of the design and management of safety interventions
• Evidence of expertise in one or more of the global safety challenges identified by the 2021 Poll findings
• Established connections with required partners / beneficiaries - influential stakeholders, grassroots organisations and communities / or policy-level decision makers
• Appropriate suggested budget for activities outlined
• Demonstration of appropriate policies and governance of the host organisation

The Foundation may share anonymised applications with third-party reviewers.

We expect that the typical budgets for the proposed projects may range between £250,000 and £750,000 but we are also open to receiving applications for projects outside this range, as appropriate to the type and scale of the intervention proposed.

Information on eligible costs can be accessed on our page: Portal homepage - Lloyds Register Foundation (flexigrant.com)

1. Register your interest

First you will need to create an account in Flexigrant by following this link:  Portal homepage - Lloyds Register Foundation (flexigrant.com) Once you have created your account you will receive an email to verify it. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the Expression of Interest form where you will be asked to briefly explain your vision for utilising the data set.  The purpose of this step is to establish communication with you, and so that we understand the level of interest and types of projects being proposed. You can register your interest any time but no later than 13 February 2023.

If you have any problems creating your account or accessing the Expression of Interest form, please email [email protected].

2. Complete the application

A link to the Flexigrant application form will be sent to you within two weeks of registering your interest. All applications must be submitted via Flexigrant; they will not be accepted in other formats. The deadline for applications is 28th February 2023.

Applicants will receive a response about their proposal by the end of March 2023.

The PowerPoint from our information sessions on this funding call can be accessed in full here. Q&A from the information sessions can be accessed here.

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected] with the subject line WRP call.