Applications
How can I apply for a Compact Research Grant or PhD Research Grant?
Applications for a CRG or PhD Research Grant should be submitted through the CEPR Hub. Instructions on how to submit an application through this portal will be made available in July 2025.
Who can apply for a Compact Research Grant or PhD Research Grant?
ReCIPE invites applications from researchers located all over the world. Principal investigators applying to CRG calls should currently have a PhD or be enrolled in a PhD programme, and principal investigators applying to the PhD call should already be enrolled in a PhD programme. However, in view of the current political situation and the imposition of economic sanctions on various Russian entities by Western governments, we are not currently able to accept proposals for projects that include researchers or members of the research team who are based at Russian institutions.
Those enrolled in a PhD programme can apply for either a CRG call or a PhD call. However, please note the grants differ in maximum value and applicants cannot submit the same application to both calls.
Are there specific affiliation requirements?
There are no strict affiliation requirements for individuals applying for CRGs. Please note, however, that these grants are intended to fund academic research rather than supporting programmes.
For PhD calls, all applicants must be enrolled in a PhD programme and therefore affiliated with an academic institution.
Can I apply as a team?
Yes, you may apply as a team. Indeed, we encourage collaboration between academics and in-country specialists. We similarly encourage multidisciplinary teams.
However, only one researcher should submit the proposal as the representative of the team. That individual is the named individual on the contract and is responsible for the project implementation, should the application be successful.
Do I need a senior collaborator? (Applicable for CRGs only).
Only if she or he will make a necessary and substantive contribution to the work. (Don’t include someone who will be nothing more than a silent partner.) We encourage and are eager to fund strong applications from less established researchers, including junior faculty, postdocs, and PhD students. We also enthusiastically welcome submissions from less represented demographics and from those in low-income countries. We do not believe that the so-called top-tier departments have a monopoly on good research, and we consequently encourage applications from researchers across the entire profession.
Is there a deadline for proposal submission?
Yes. Deadlines for an individual call for proposals will be stated on the call information page. The deadlines for an individual call is also clearly advertised on the website and through our newsletter.
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 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.
Can I submit to both a CRG funding call and a PhD funding call that are running concurrently?
No, PhD students must decide whether to submit their application to either the CRG or PhD funding call.
Should ReCIPE 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/multidisciplinary approaches. However, the aim of the programme is to better understand the links between conflicts, economic growth, and public policies, so applications should be able to demonstrate a clear link or contribution to the literature on economic growth and policies.
What geographic focus can my application have?
ReCIPE has a list of Focus Countries. All applications will be evaluated based on their relevance to policy in one or more of those countries. Proposals outside the ReCIPE Focus Countries will need to make a strong and clear case for the relevance of the research to policy in one or more of the Focus Countries.
ReCIPE research proposals do not need to be focused at the national level. Please see our Research Strategy for more details.
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 ReCIPE's Focus Countries.
When will applicants be notified of the call's results?
The aim is to notify applicants within three 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 during the next call and identifying themselves as resubmissions during the process and detailing the changes that have been made in the relevant text box.
What are the preferred outputs for the Compact Research Grants and PhD 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.
Budgets
What criteria should the project budget comply with?
The CRG and PhD Budget Guidelines are available at the bottom of this page.
Can I include a payment for myself in the budget?
Research stipends are eligible costs under ReCIPE to the extent that PIs and Co-Is are directly involved in providing services to the project. Stipends should only be requested if they allow the researcher(s) to reduce teaching/administrative duties and therefore free up time for research. Individual eligibility depends upon seniority and location:
- Stipends for senior researchers located in upper-middle and high-income countries are not funded under the CRG programme.
- Stipends are capped at £12,000 for PhD students in programmes located in high-income countries and the PPP equivalent for PhD students in programmes located in low- and middle-income countries.
- Stipends for up to 9 months of time are allowed for researchers in lower-income countries.
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.
Contracts
With whom are contracts signed?
Individuals apply for CRGs and PhD Research Grants, and the grants are issued through a contract between CEPR and the successful applicant directly. In exceptional circumstances, a contract with an institution can be issued, but the contract will be non-negotiable, and the institution cannot take any overheads.
What is the average contract length of a CRG?
CRGs and PhD Research Grants typically run for 12 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?
We cannot guarantee that we can offer a delayed start to the contract. Where applicants have a sufficient justification, exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, consideration will be given to the extent of the delay, which may have a bearing on the decision.
What is the payment schedule for ReCIPE grants?
All ReCIPE CRGs and PhD Research Grants are paid 50% of the budget at contracting, 30% with the interim report (six months into the contract), and 20% after the approval of the final report. This final 20% payment is held by CEPR until the contract and expenditure for the project is completed and then researchers are reimbursed the final actual costs.
Please note that the second and final payments is contingent on the completion of the grant's reporting requirements, including the satisfactory demonstration of progress in the project.
What are the reporting requirements for ReCIPE grants?
All ReCIPE CRGs and PhD Research Grants are required to submit an interim report halfway through the contract and a final report at the end of the contract. The reports consist of a written narrative section and a financial report. Example templates for CRGs can be found below (PhD templates are almost identical).