Lao Development Fund Fellowship
About the Fellowship
The Lao Development Fund Fellowship (LDFF) was established to enhance the skills and capabilities of Lao researchers and public health specialists, with a focus on early-career professionals. Through small-scale funding, the fellowships aim to advance their career development while supporting initiatives that benefits communities across Lao PDR.
The LDFF can support:
- Participation in short courses, workshops, conferences through funding of course fees, travel costs and related expenditure.
- Conduct of pilot studies related to community or public health projects.
Guiding principles
The LDFF operates on the following values:
- Equity and inclusion – to prioritise early-career and underrepresented applicants.
- Community impact – to fund activities that bring tangible benefits to Laos.
- Capacity-building – to strengthen skills, networks, and opportunities.
- Feasibility – to ensure realistic, achievable projects within the small-grant scope.
- Transparency and accountability – clear criteria, fair review, short reporting.
- Knowledge sharing – recipients are encouraged to share their learning with peers.
Applications review process
Applications are reviewed by the LDF Committee through a transparent and structured grading process. Each application is scored against the following criteria:
| Criteria | Weight | What are we looking for? |
|---|---|---|
|
Relevance and alignment |
20% |
How well does the proposal align with LDF’s objectives? |
|
Potential Impact |
20% |
What difference will it make for communities?
What difference will it make for your career?
|
|
Feasibility and budget |
20% |
Is the plan realistic and achievable with the requested funds? |
|
Capacity-building and sharing |
20% |
How would you benefit from this and how would you share this with others (and whom)? |
|
Equity and inclusion |
20% |
Does the application support an early-career or underrepresented applicant? |
Eligibility
Prospective applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Citizen of Lao PDR citizen and residing in Lao PDR for the duration of the fellowship
- Hold at least a bachelor’s degree
- Have worked for at least one (1) year at point of application
- Allowed to submit only one application per year.
Submission Guidelines
Interested applicants should submit the completed application form and provide the following documents:
- Proof of Lao PDR citizenship
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum of 2 pages)
- Information or related website of training course or conference (if relevant)
- Project proposal and justification for conduct of a pilot study (if relevant)
- Budget proposal and evidence to justify requested items
- Supporting Letter from a Supervisor, Mentor or Referee
Please email the application form and all the supporting documents to ephbox94@nus.edu.sg.
After Funding
If your application is successful, you will:
- Receive a Letter of Award and 50% of the awarded sum.
- Upon completion of course/conference or pilot study, submit a short report (1–2 pages or presentation) summarising outcomes and learnings.
- The remaining 50% of awarded sum will be reimbursed upon submission of the report.
- Awardees may be invited to share highlights with peers through workshops, networks, or short write-ups.