RITC responds to project proposals developed primarily by researchers in developing countries and provides grant funding in support of multi-disciplinary, policy-relevant projects in five priority thematic areas:  Tobacco farming: health, livelihoods, economics, environment; Health policy and systems interventions for tobacco control; Poverty and tobacco; Globalization and tobacco; Alternative forms of tobacco use. 

Priority is given to proposals that: 

• fall within the Tobacco Farming: Health, Livelihoods, Economics, Environment or the Health Policy and Systems Interventions for Tobacco Control thematic areas (although applications are accepted within the other three thematic areas listed above); 
• can demonstrate relevance to tobacco control policies in the region;
• demonstrate how key stakeholders and research users are to be involved throughout the process; 
• demonstrate potential to influence the tobacco control policy process; 
• consider the effects on populations, particularly vulnerable populations; 
• employ a multi-disciplinary approach; 
• describe the relevance of the research within broader development priorities (e.g. the environment, poverty); 
• contain a clear dissemination strategy based on the sustained and targeted involvement of key research users and beneficiaries; 
• illustrate the potential for capacity development; 
• demonstrate financial support from other sources; 
• demonstrate South-South linkages;  
• have a Southern institution as the lead institution. 

Researchers who are interested in submitting a research proposal for RITC's consideration must begin by submitting a "project idea" that briefly describes the critical elements of the proposed study. Researchers whose project idea triggers further interest by RITC for the development of a full proposal will be invited to submit a research grant application.

All project ideas and research grant applications should be submitted either in electronic form via RITC's Research Officer at ritc@idrc.ca or in hard copy to the following address: The Research Officer, Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC), International Development Research Centre, P.O. Box 8500, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1G 3H9. Fax: (613) 563-0815.