Arlington, VA, March 25, 2019—The Charles Koch Foundation announced today that it will fund a series of grants to support research projects that explore viable solutions to accomplish United States objectives in Afghanistan and Syria. The request for proposals is for projects ranging up to $25,000.00 to consider these imperatives between now and September of this year. The proposal deadline is May 30, 2019.
This RFP comes just a few months after President Donald Trump announced his intentions to withdraw troops from Syria and draw down the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.
“The president’s statements raise urgent questions about when and how U.S. military deployments in these countries will end and answering these questions has taken on increased urgency since it appears progress toward a full drawdown has stalled at least in Syria,” explained Will Ruger, Vice President for Research at the Charles Koch Foundation. “Research over the last two years indicates Americans are war weary and want solutions that are the right fit for our national interests. It’s time for new ideas that rethink our approach, and we aim to support scholarship that can contribute to a more robust discussion with this RFP.”
Proposals, which are due May 30, 2019, should address one or more of the following issues or concepts:
- The unintended consequences of U.S. military actions in Afghanistan and Syria.
- The costs and impact of the military engagements in Afghanistan and Syria.
- The impact of U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan and Syria on American society, for instance, the effect of our activities on civil liberties or the health and welfare of veterans.
- Threat inflation and theories of credibility and reputation in relation to decisions to reduce commitments and withdraw from foreign conflicts.
- Executive-legislative relations, including the constitutional division of war powers.
- The impact of domestic interest groups—businesses, think tanks, and the permanent national security bureaucracy on U.S. foreign policy—as they relate to these conflicts.
- Pentagon spending, force structure, and the strategic demands of remaining in Afghanistan and Syria, including the structural incentives for military expenditures.
- Civil-military relations, particularly in the context of U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and Syria.
The grants will provide up to $25,000 in funding, and projects must be concluded by the end of November 2019. The Foundation’s request for proposal for these grants, which fully explains the proposal criteria, is available here.
CHARLES KOCH FOUNDATION
The Charles Koch Foundation supports research, educational programs, and civil discourse to advance an understanding of how people can best live together in peace and prosperity. The Foundation provides grants to support a wide range of inquiry on issues including criminal justice and policing reform, free speech and open inquiry, foreign policy, economic opportunity, and innovation.