Governance Initiative

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 June and February, and funding decisions are typically announced in December and May. GI's Spring 2023 RFP is now open to graduate students only. Decisions will be announced in early May.

In our regular funding rounds, 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 policy outreach grants (up to $20,000). 

In this funding round, PhD students, with support from an adviser who is a J-PAL affiliate or GI invited researcher, are eligible to apply for travel/proposal development 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. We will reach out when we have scheduled our Fall 2023 RFP, which will be open to J-PAL affiliates, GI invited researchers, and graduate students.