Governance Initiative

election officials with ballot papers in a polling station
Photo: Shutterstock.com
J-PAL’s Governance Initiative (GI) funds randomized evaluations of interventions designed to improve participation in the political and policy process, reduce corruption and leakages, and strengthen state capacity.

J-PAL’s Governance Initiative (GI) funds randomized evaluations of interventions designed to improve participation in the political and policy process, reduce corruption and leakages, and strengthen state capacity. 

By providing targeted funding for rigorous evaluations of the most promising programs to improve governance, GI aims to offer guidance for implementing organizations, governments, and donors, so that policies can be guided by scientific evidence to improve development outcomes.

Funding Cycles

GI has two funding cycles per year for full research projects, pilot studies, and travel/proposal development grants that address open questions outlined in the Governance Initiative Review Paper. RFPs are typically released in July and February, and funding decisions are typically announced in December and May. GI's Fall 2023 RFP is now closed. Results will be announced in mid-December.

Each proposal is reviewed by three referees: an academic reviewer, a policy expert, and a member of the GI Review Board. The Review Board makes final funding decisions. J-PAL affiliates, J-PAL post-docs, and invited researchers are eligible to apply for funding for full-scale evaluations (for a maximum of $400,000; typically up to $250,000), pilot studies (up to $75,000), travel/proposal development grants (up to $10,000), and multidisciplinary research grants (up to $30,000). PhD students, with support from an adviser who is a J-PAL affiliate or GI invited researcher, are also eligible to apply for travel/proposal development grants, multidisciplinary research grants, and up to $50,000 for a pilot or full-scale study. 

GI is not accepting off-cycle or policy outreach proposals at this time. 

Key Facts

Office:
J-PAL Global
Status:
  • Research RFP: Open
Eligibility:
For the Fall 2023 round, J-PAL affiliates, J-PAL postdocs, GI invited researchers, and PhD students, with support from an adviser who is a J-PAL affiliate or GI invited researcher, are eligible to apply for full-scale studies, pilots, travel/proposal development grants, and multidisciplinary research grants. 

Funders

For researchers

Request for Proposals

J-PAL’s Governance Initiative (GI) funds randomized evaluations of strategies to improve governance in low- and middle-income countries. GI has two funding cycles per year calling for proposals from J-PAL affiliates, J-PAL postdocs, and GI invited researchers for full research projects, pilot studies, travel/proposal development grants, and policy outreach support grants. GI's Fall 2023 RFP is now closed. Results will be announced in mid-December.

For researchers

Conference Travel Grants

In an effort to foster global collaboration between researchers working on governance topics, GI launched a conference travel grants program to support the participation of researchers based in low and middle-income countries to attend leading economics international conferences. GI is no longer accepting applications for its Fall 2022 Conference Travel Grant program. Please check back in 2023 for the next application cycle.

Initiative Staff

Alex Chen, Senior Policy Associate

Gabrielle Fiore, Senior Manager of Finance and Operations

Page Content