Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport Research Grants 2026: Apply for £150,000–£200,000 in Funding

Through this funding opportunity, RIDE seeks research that places women’s economic empowerment at the centre of transport policy, infrastructure, services, and operations. At least two research projects will receive funding ranging from £150,000 to £200,000 per project, with a maximum project duration of 15 months. All funded projects must be completed by 31 March 2028.

The call is managed through RIDE’s Partnership Pillar, led by the German development agency GIZ, and its Research Pillar, led by the World Resources Institute (WRI), in partnership with Women Mobilize Women (WMW) and the Global Alliance for Feminist Transport.

Researchers working on gender equality, sustainable mobility, women’s economic participation, climate resilience, transport safety, and inclusive development are encouraged to explore this opportunity, particularly those conducting research in the eligible partner countries.

Application deadline: Friday, 20 November 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Central European Time (CET).

About the Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport Research Call

Transport systems are essential to economic participation, access to employment, education, healthcare, markets, and other opportunities. However, transport infrastructure and services in many low- and middle-income countries do not adequately account for women’s economic activities, safety concerns, and mobility needs.

Women may face harassment and violence while travelling, encounter social restrictions that influence their travel choices, or experience transport disruptions that limit their ability to work and earn an income. Climate-related events can further affect transport access and create economic losses, particularly when disruptions prevent women from reaching employment, markets, or other income-generating activities.

The RIDE Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport call aims to address these issues by supporting research that generates evidence for practical change.

Rather than treating gender as a secondary consideration within broader transport studies, the initiative explicitly positions women’s economic empowerment as the central focus of the research. It seeks proposals that investigate how transport systems influence women’s economic opportunities and identify ways to improve transport policies, services, infrastructure, and operations.

The call prioritises research capable of informing decisions and contributing to tangible outcomes. Applicants should therefore consider not only the research problem they want to investigate but also how their findings could influence relevant institutions, policies, and transport practices.

Why Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport Matters

Women’s access to safe, reliable, affordable, and climate-resilient transport can influence their ability to participate in economic activities and benefit from development opportunities.

When transport systems fail to account for women’s needs, the consequences can extend beyond inconvenience. Women may be forced to change their travel routes, avoid certain locations, reject employment opportunities, reduce working hours, or incur additional expenses to protect their safety.

Climate-related transport disruptions can create further barriers by making journeys more expensive, unreliable, or impossible. Depending on the circumstances, these disruptions can affect income, employment stability, business activities, and access to essential services.

The call highlights the need for research that examines these connections and produces evidence relevant to decision-makers.

According to the information provided in the call, women account for only 12% of the global transport and storage workforce, while fewer than 18% of the most cited transport researchers are women. These figures illustrate the gender disparities highlighted by the initiative in both the transport workforce and influential transport research.

The funding opportunity seeks to support research that can help address these challenges and strengthen the evidence base for more inclusive transport systems.

Research Themes and Priority Areas

Applicants must develop proposals around one of the two research themes identified in the call.

1. Violence Against Women and Girls in Transit

The first research theme focuses on violence against women and girls during transit and the implications for their economic empowerment.

Harassment, violence, and restrictive social norms can influence women’s decisions about when, where, and how to travel. Concerns about personal safety may prevent women from using particular routes or transport services, restrict their mobility, or discourage them from pursuing economic opportunities that require travel.

These barriers can have direct and indirect economic consequences.

For example, women may experience difficulties accessing employment because a journey is considered unsafe, spend additional money on alternative transport, or lose income when they avoid travelling at certain times. Safety concerns may also affect decisions about accepting jobs, attending training, operating businesses, or accessing markets.

Research under this theme should examine how violence, harassment, and social norms shape women’s mobility and determine the economic costs associated with these experiences.

Potential areas of investigation include:

• How harassment and violence influence women’s travel behaviour and transport choices.
• The relationship between safety concerns and women’s access to employment.
• The economic costs of avoiding unsafe transport routes, stations, vehicles, or travel times.
• How social norms influence women’s mobility and participation in economic activities.
• The consequences of transport-related violence for women’s income, career opportunities, and economic independence.
• How transport policies, infrastructure, services, and operational practices can respond to these challenges.

These are illustrative areas that prospective applicants may explore within the stated theme; proposals should be tailored to the call’s requirements and the specific research context.

Strong proposals should establish a clear connection between violence or safety concerns in transit and women’s economic empowerment. They should also explain how the findings could support practical changes in transport policy or operations.

2. Climate Resilience and Women’s Economic Empowerment

The second research theme examines how climate-related disruptions to transport affect women’s economic opportunities and when these economic losses may become permanent.

Climate-related events can disrupt transport networks, damage infrastructure, interrupt services, and make journeys difficult or impossible. These disruptions may prevent people from reaching workplaces, markets, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and other essential destinations.

For women who depend on transport to earn an income, run businesses, access customers, or participate in informal and formal economic activities, these disruptions can have significant consequences.

The effects may include lost working hours, reduced sales, additional travel expenses, missed employment opportunities, and interruptions to income-generating activities.

The call is particularly interested in understanding when climate-related transport disruption produces economic losses that persist beyond the immediate disruption.

Research under this theme could investigate:

• How climate-related transport disruptions affect women’s income and employment.
• The economic consequences of interruptions to transport services and access.
• How women engaged in different economic activities experience transport-related climate risks.
• The circumstances under which temporary disruptions result in long-term or permanent economic losses.
• How transport planning and resilience measures could reduce the economic consequences of climate-related disruption for women.

These examples illustrate possible directions for research rather than additional mandatory subthemes.

Applicants should explain how their proposed research will produce useful evidence on the relationship between climate resilience, transport access, and women’s economic empowerment. The findings should be positioned to inform practical decisions about transport systems, services, infrastructure, or operations.

Who Can Apply for the RIDE Women’s Economic Empowerment Research Grants?

The call is open to research teams and consortia based at universities and research institutes anywhere in the world.

However, the research must focus on one of RIDE’s partner countries listed in the call. International eligibility does not mean that a proposal can focus on any country without regard to these geographical requirements.

Eligible partner countries

The call identifies two groups of partner countries.

Group 1

• Bangladesh
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Nigeria
• Tanzania

Group 2

• Ghana
• Indonesia
• The Philippines
• South Africa
• Vietnam

Applicants should ensure that their research proposal clearly identifies the eligible partner country in which the research will be conducted.

For researchers and institutions based in Ghana, this call may be particularly relevant because Ghana is explicitly included in Group 2. However, the research must still address one of the specified themes and meet the other requirements of the funding opportunity.

Partnerships with low- and middle-income country institutions

Partnerships with institutions based in low- and middle-income countries are strongly encouraged.

This emphasis provides an opportunity for research teams to build collaborations that bring together different forms of expertise, contextual knowledge, and institutional experience.

Researchers based outside the target country may consider working with local universities, research institutes, or other relevant research partners to ensure that the proposed study reflects the local context and can generate useful findings.

The call does not state in the supplied information that every proposal must be led by an institution in the target country. Nevertheless, applicants should carefully review the full call document for any additional requirements concerning team composition, institutional eligibility, and partnership arrangements.

Encouragement for women researchers and researchers based in eligible regions

The initiative also strongly encourages applications led by women researchers and researchers based in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

This encouragement is consistent with the call’s focus on women’s economic empowerment and the need to strengthen participation in transport research.

Eligible teams should consider how their research leadership, institutional partnerships, and proposed methods can contribute to relevant local evidence and policy engagement.

Funding Amount and Project Duration

The RIDE Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport call will fund at least two research projects.

Each selected project will receive funding ranging from £150,000 to £200,000.

Funding details

• Number of projects: At least two.
• Funding per project: £150,000–£200,000.
• Maximum project duration: 15 months.
• Project completion deadline: 31 March 2028.

The funding is intended to support research that addresses one of the two priority themes and can contribute to practical improvements in transport policy, services, infrastructure, or operations.

Applicants should develop a realistic project plan that connects the research questions, methodology, activities, expected outputs, stakeholder engagement, and budget.

The maximum project duration is 15 months, and all funded projects must be completed by 31 March 2028. Teams should therefore consider the proposed start date, research timetable, data collection requirements, analysis, stakeholder engagement, and dissemination activities when planning their projects.

The announcement does not specify that every applicant will receive the maximum funding amount. Research teams should prepare a budget that reflects the needs and scope of their proposed project and follow the detailed financial requirements in the official call documentation.

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What Makes a Strong Research Proposal?

One of the most important details in this funding opportunity is the emphasis on a clear plan for the uptake of research findings.

According to the call, the uptake plan carries the greatest weight in the evaluation, accounting for 30% of the assessment.

This means that applicants should explain not only what they intend to research but also how the resulting evidence will be used to influence relevant decisions.

1. Develop a clear research uptake plan

A research uptake plan explains how findings will reach the people and institutions that can use them.

Applicants should identify the specific decision-makers they intend to influence and the policy windows or decision-making processes through which the research could contribute to change.

Depending on the research topic and country context, relevant actors might include transport authorities, policymakers, public transport operators, infrastructure planners, local government institutions, or organisations working on women’s safety and economic empowerment. These are examples of potential stakeholders, not a prescribed list of eligible partners.

The proposal should establish a clear connection between the research problem, the evidence to be generated, the intended users of that evidence, and the changes the project hopes to inform.

2. Involve decision-makers from the beginning

The call emphasises that relevant decision-makers should be involved from the start of the research rather than only being approached after the findings have been produced.

Early engagement can help researchers understand the questions policymakers need answered, identify opportunities to use the evidence, and ensure that the research addresses practical concerns.

Applicants should explain how they will engage relevant stakeholders throughout the project, including during research design, implementation, interpretation of findings, and dissemination.

3. Connect research to practical transport improvements

The initiative is interested in research that can lead to concrete changes in transport policy, services, infrastructure, or operations.

Proposals should therefore explain how their findings could inform specific decisions or improvements.

For example, a project examining women’s safety in transit should clarify how the findings might inform relevant safety measures, service planning, or operational decisions. A climate resilience study should explain how its evidence could inform transport planning or responses to disruptions affecting women’s economic activities.

The exact approach will depend on the research question and local context.

4. Demonstrate relevance to women’s economic empowerment

Women’s economic empowerment should be the central subject of the research, not merely an additional consideration.

Applicants should show how the proposed study will examine the connections between transport and women’s economic participation, including income, employment, business activity, or access to economic opportunities.

The research should remain focused on the stated objectives of the call and demonstrate how its findings can contribute to meaningful understanding and action.

5. Build appropriate research partnerships

The call strongly encourages partnerships with institutions based in low- and middle-income countries.

Applicants should explain the roles of their research partners and how collaboration will contribute to the quality, relevance, and practical application of the research.

A well-defined partnership approach can help clarify responsibilities, strengthen local engagement, and support the uptake of findings among relevant stakeholders.

Required Application Documents

Applicants must submit four categories of application materials as one compressed ZIP file.

The documents specified in the call are:

1. Cover letter in PDF format

The cover letter must be submitted as a PDF document.

Applicants should use it to introduce the research team or consortium and present the proposed research in relation to the funding opportunity. The letter should be consistent with the proposal and other application documents.

The supplied call information does not specify a required cover-letter length, so applicants should consult the full call document for any additional instructions.

2. Research proposal in Microsoft Word format

The research proposal must be submitted as a Word document and must not exceed 4,000 words.

Applicants should develop a proposal that addresses one of the two research themes and focuses on an eligible partner country.

The proposal should explain the research problem, its relevance to women’s economic empowerment, the approach to be taken, and how the resulting evidence could inform practical decisions.

Given the evaluation weight assigned to research uptake, applicants should give particular attention to identifying decision-makers, relevant policy windows, and plans for involving intended users of the findings throughout the research process.

Applicants should consult the full call PDF for the complete proposal requirements and any prescribed structure.

3. Detailed budget in Microsoft Excel format

Applicants must provide a detailed budget using the GIZ budget template.

The call announcement states that Annex A, containing the GIZ budget template in Microsoft Excel format, will be published on the call webpage shortly.

Applicants should monitor the official webpage for the template and use the required format when preparing their budgets.

The supplied announcement does not provide the complete budget rules or eligible-cost categories. Research teams should therefore consult the official call documentation and the published template rather than assume particular expenses will be eligible.

4. Evidence of non-profit status

Applicants must also provide evidence of non-profit status.

The announcement does not specify the exact form of evidence required. Institutions should consult the full call documentation to determine which documents are accepted and ensure that the evidence submitted corresponds to the applicant organisation or relevant entity.

Submit all documents as one ZIP file

The four required components must be submitted together as a single zipped file.

Before submitting, applicants should verify that the ZIP file contains:

• The cover letter in PDF format.
• The research proposal in Word format, within the 4,000-word limit.
• The detailed budget in Excel format, using the GIZ template.
• Evidence of non-profit status.

Applicants should also confirm that the documents open correctly and that the budget and proposal are consistent with one another.

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Application deadline: Friday, 20 November 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CEST.

Research teams should allow sufficient time to prepare the proposal, finalise the budget, obtain the required institutional documentation, and check that the email and attachment are ready for submission before the deadline.

Questions about the call

Applicants who need clarification can contact Cristal Stefania Cedeno Tobanda at:

cristal.cedenotobanda@giz.de

The call webpage also states that answers to questions received so far will be published in an FAQ section so that all applicants have access to the same information.

Applicants are encouraged to monitor that page for updates, including the publication of Annex A, the GIZ budget template.

Download the Full Call for Research Proposals

Before preparing an application, prospective applicants should review the complete official call document for further details about the requirements, proposal preparation, and application process.

Full call for proposals (PDF):

https://ride.transport-links.com/wp-content/uploads/RIDE_Call_for_Proposal_WEE_2026.pdf

Official call webpage: Visit the RIDE website at https://ride.transport-links.com/ to locate the Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport call and check for updates to the application guidance.

Applicants should use the official documentation as the final reference for requirements that are not fully detailed in the announcement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the RIDE Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport call?

It is a research funding opportunity supporting studies on women’s economic empowerment in transport, with a focus on violence against women and girls in transit or the economic effects of climate-related transport disruptions.

How much funding is available?

At least two projects will be funded, with each project receiving between £150,000 and £200,000.

Who is eligible to apply?

Research teams or consortia based at universities and research institutes anywhere in the world can apply. The research must focus on one of the 12 eligible partner countries listed in the call.

Can researchers in Ghana apply?

Ghana is included in Group 2 of the eligible partner countries. Research teams proposing eligible research focused on Ghana can therefore consider applying, subject to the full eligibility and application requirements.

What are the main research themes?

The call supports research on violence against women and girls in transit and on how climate-related transport disruptions affect women’s economic opportunities and can lead to lasting economic losses.

How long can a funded project last?

Projects may last up to 15 months and must be completed by 31 March 2028.

What is the most important element of the proposal?

The research uptake plan carries 30% of the evaluation. It should identify the decision-makers and policy windows the research aims to influence and explain how relevant stakeholders will be involved from the beginning.

What documents are required?

Applicants must submit a cover letter in PDF format, a research proposal in Word format of no more than 4,000 words, a detailed budget in Excel using the GIZ template, and evidence of non-profit status. All documents must be submitted together as one ZIP file.

What is the deadline?

The deadline is Friday, 20 November 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CEST.

Where should applications be sent?

Applications should be emailed to Cristal Stefania Cedeno Tobanda at cristal.cedenotobanda@giz.de and Viviane Weinmann at viviane.weinmann@giz.de, following the submission instructions in the official call.

Conclusion

The RIDE Women’s Economic Empowerment in Transport research call offers a significant funding opportunity for universities, research institutes, and research consortia investigating how transport systems affect women’s safety, economic participation, and resilience to climate-related disruptions.

With funding of £150,000–£200,000 per project and a maximum duration of 15 months, the initiative seeks research that moves beyond identifying problems to generating evidence capable of informing transport policy, infrastructure, services, and operations.

Eligible applicants should focus their proposals on one of the two priority themes, select an eligible partner country, and develop a clear research approach supported by appropriate institutional partnerships. Particular attention should be given to the research uptake plan, which accounts for 30% of the evaluation and requires applicants to identify decision-makers, relevant policy windows, and opportunities for engagement from the beginning of the project.

Researchers should also prepare all four required application documents, use the prescribed GIZ budget template when it becomes available, and submit the complete ZIP file to the designated contacts.

For institutions and researchers working on gender equality, sustainable mobility, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development, this call provides an opportunity to produce evidence that can contribute to more responsive and equitable transport systems.

Application deadline: Friday, 20 November 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CEST.

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