3rd Call for Proposals for ReCIPE Big Research Grants: Up to £100,000 for Research on Conflict, Economic Growth, and Public Policy

The Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE) programme has officially launched its third call for proposals for Big Research Grants, offering substantial funding to support innovative, policy-relevant research at the intersection of conflict, economic growth, and public policy. This competitive funding scheme is coordinated under the Growth Research Platform (GRP), a CEPR initiative funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO).

This call is designed for researchers and multidisciplinary teams seeking to generate impactful evidence that can shape policy in ReCIPE’s focus countries. With grants of up to £100,000, this funding opportunity supports ambitious research projects that require significant resources, data, and field engagement.

Deadline: 11 August 2026, 23:59 BST

About the ReCIPE Big Research Grants

The Big Research Grants (BRGs) aim to advance high-quality research that deepens global understanding of how conflict interacts with economic growth and public policy. These grants are intended for projects that exceed the scope of ReCIPE’s Compact Research Grants (CRGs), requiring more extensive data collection, fieldwork, or research assistance.

Applicants must submit proposals using the official templates available on the ReCIPE website and upload them through the CEPR Hub portal. Detailed submission instructions are provided on the How to Apply to ReCIPE webpage.

Funding Amount and Eligible Costs

Each Big Research Grant provides up to £100,000 to support:

• Research assistance
• Data collection and/or data purchase
• Researcher stipends
• Travel to field sites (including when using secondary data)
• In-country activities (with strong justification and safety considerations)

All budgets must comply with the ReCIPE BRG Budget Guidelines, and proposals must demonstrate cost effectiveness and value for money.

Research Themes

Proposed research must align with one or more of ReCIPE’s core themes:

1. Public policies for peace
2. Private and public investments and peace
3. Institutions, democracy, and peace
4. Geoeconomics
5. Climate change, natural resources, and conflict
6. Information and conflict (media, public opinion, big data, forecasting)
7. Ethnic diversity and nation-building
8. Peacemaking, peacebuilding, and reconstruction
9. Gender, inequality, and conflict

Projects addressing cross-cutting issues will receive special consideration, including:

• New data generation
• Natural resources and climate change
• Gender equality and inclusion

Policy Relevance Requirement

A key evaluation criterion is the relevance of the research to policy in ReCIPE Focus Countries. Projects outside these countries must clearly justify how their findings will inform policy in at least one focus country.

Multidisciplinary Collaboration Encouraged

Given the complexity of ReCIPE’s themes, the programme strongly encourages multidisciplinary teams, combining expertise from economics, political science, sociology, data science, environmental studies, and related fields.

Eligibility and PhD Student Participation

PhD students are eligible to apply. However, due to the scale and complexity of BRGs, applicants will be assessed on their experience with large-scale research. PhD students are encouraged to apply with senior co-investigators to strengthen feasibility and competitiveness.

Why Apply for a ReCIPE Big Research Grant?

This funding call is ideal for researchers seeking to:

• Conduct large-scale or multi-country studies
• Generate new datasets
• Explore innovative methodologies
• Influence policy in conflict-affected or fragile contexts
• Collaborate across disciplines

How to Apply

Applicants must:

• Use the official proposal templates
• Submit via the CEPR Hub portal
• Follow all instructions on the How to Apply to ReCIPE webpage
• Ensure budgets comply with BRG guidelines
• Demonstrate policy relevance and methodological rigor

Conclusion

The 3rd Call for ReCIPE Big Research Grants represents a major opportunity for researchers committed to understanding and addressing the complex relationships between conflict, economic growth, and public policy. With generous funding and a strong emphasis on policy impact, this call supports transformative research that can shape development outcomes in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

Deadline Reminder: 11 August 2026, 23:59 BST

 

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