The Institute of International Education announces the award of eight new research grants under its USAID-funded Democracy Fellows and Grants (DFG) Program. The grants will generate new knowledge to contribute to USAID’s democracy promotion efforts and support USAID’s Center of Excellence in Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG Center).

Seven grants, awarded under the 2013 Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Research and Innovation Grants Annual Program Statement (APS), are for one-year projects. Research results will be published as part of the DRG Center’s Working Paper Series, posted on the DFG website, and posted to USAID’s Development Experience Clearinghouse. The eighth grant, under the Theories of Change program, will fund a project titled "Unwelcome Change: Understanding, Evaluating, and Extending Theories of Democratic Backsliding," which will produce a White Paper and a Theory of Change Matrix to support USAID Mission staff in designing interventions to prevent democratic backsliding.