Applications
How can I apply for a Larger Research Grant?
Applications for an LRG should be submitted through the CEPR Hub. Instructions on what to do before and while applying are available here.
Who can apply for a Larger Research Grant?
STEG invites applications from researchers located anywhere in the world.
Are there specific affiliation requirements?
There are no strict affiliation requirements for individuals applying for LRGs. Please note, however, that these grants are intended to fund academic research rather than supporting programmes.
Can I apply as a team?
Yes, you may apply as a team. Indeed, we encourage collaboration between academics and in-country specialists. However, only one researcher should submit the proposal as the representative of the team. That individual can select the coordinating institution, though this does not need to be their 'home' institution, and is responsible for the project implementation, should the application be successful.
Can PhD students/candidates apply for a Larger Research Grant?
We welcome submissions from PhD students to our regular LRG calls. However, given the scale of funding of our LRGs, all applicants will have to justify and be assessed on their capability and experience in conducting data collection and research more broadly at this scale. We anticipate that PhD students applying on their own may struggle to compete with more established researchers. As a result, we encourage PhD students to apply as part of a team alongside more senior co-investigators, which may help to demonstrate the project’s feasibility and credibility.
Does applying for a Small Research Grant preclude someone from also applying for a Larger Research Grant?
Applying for a SRG does not preclude one from applying for an LRG.
Is there a deadline for proposal submission?
Yes. Deadlines and subsequent reviews usually take place two to three times per year and so it is best to submit proposals in the weeks leading up to the deadline. The deadlines for upcoming calls is available on the STEG website and newsletter and will be clearly advertised for any open calls.
Can I submit more than one proposal to a funding call?
No person can be the principal investigator (PI) on two different proposals within the same LRG funding call. However, it is permitted for a person to be PI for one proposal while only being a co-investigator (Co-I) for another.
Should STEG research proposals be based on a purely economic and quantitative approach, or is there scope for applications involving other methods and disciplines to be considered?
The programme is open to mixed/multi-disciplinary approaches. However, the core of the approach should be related to the literature in economics and should be grounded primarily in economic issues.
Can I apply for funding to work on a theory paper?
It is possible, but you will need to very carefully justify why the project is relevant to policy in LICs.
What information should be included in the Policy Impact Plan section?
Please specify the following information relating to the policy impact of your proposal:
- Potential users
- Potential uses
- Outreach strategy
- Policy outputs
- Relevance to low-income countries
- Monitoring impact
More information on each of these sections is provided on the LRG Proposal Template.
When will applicants be notified of the call's results?
The aim is to notify applicants within five months of the proposal deadline.
Can a rejected proposal be resubmitted?
Only those who have been explicitly invited to do so may resubmit a previously unsuccessful proposal. The purpose of the ‘by invitation’ policy is to allow for amendments and/or improvements to proposals that the Evaluation Committee considers have the potential to be funded.
There is no guarantee that a resubmitted proposal will be successful.
Proposals must be resubmitted through the CEPR Hub online application portal identifying themselves as resubmissions during the process and detailing the changes that have been made in the relevant text box.
Budgets
What criteria should the project budget comply with?
The LRG Budget Guidelines are available at the bottom of this page.
Can I include a payment for myself in the budget?
Yes, but proposals will be judged on a 'value for money' criteria, therefore any payment should be adequately justified. As per the LRG Budget Guidelines, research personnel are eligible costs under STEG to the extent that the research staff are directly involved in providing services to the project. Budgets that include significant costs for research staff need to be able to justify these costs and demonstrate the research value. The total allocated to PIs, co-PIs and other senior experts must not exceed £20,000 per project year. All research stipend costs will be evaluated for their value for money, and may require further justification or amendments before being approved by CEPR.
What can be included under equipment?
It is expected that researchers and institutions provide their own IT equipment such as tablets, mobile phones, laptops, and computers for the duration of the project. In exceptional circumstances these can be included in the budget, but strong justification will be required, and a maximum of £500 for items of equipment will be applied.
Contracting
With whom are LRG contracts signed?
While individuals apply for LRGs, the grants are issued through a contract between CEPR and a coordinating institution.
What is the average contract length of a Larger Research Grant?
LRGs typically run for 24 months. Formal requests for extension can be submitted with sufficient justification.
Is the start date of the project negotiable? Is it possible to ask for a delayed start date?
Yes, with sufficient justification. However, consideration will be given to the extent of the delay, which may have a bearing on the decision.
What are the preferred outputs for the Larger Research Grants? Would it be in the form of a paper/report, policy briefing or academic journal article?
Projects are expected to produce high-quality academic papers as the primary output. However, a policy brief should also be produced, to highlight the policy-relevant results.