Education Research for Covid-19 Response & Recovery Request for Proposals

J-PAL's Post-Primary Education Initiative has officially come to a close after wrapping up its final RFP in summer 2021. Please stay tuned for updates on future funding opportunities.

J-PAL’s Post-Primary Education (PPE) Initiative has launched a one-time Education Research for COVID-19 Response & Recovery Request for Proposals (RFP) to fund randomized evaluations of strategies to improve access, quality, equity, and relevance of pre-primary, primary, and post-primary education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic across low- and middle-income countries.

Please note that while the research portion of the RFP is hosted by the PPE Initiative, we encourage proposals across all grade levels from pre-primary to tertiary education. This is part of a broader shift we are aiming to make into an expanded Education Initiative. Stay tuned for updates.

Eligibility

The Education Research for COVID-19 Response & Recovery RFP welcomes a full range of proposals that are particularly relevant to a Covid-affected world. This includes but is not limited to research projects on topics such as girls' education, remote and distance learning, remedial education and academic recovery, and public and private schools, as well as cross-cutting themes in gender, equity, and public/private schools. We welcome proposals that evaluate policies and programs at all grade levels including pre-primary, primary, post-primary, and tertiary education.

Based on evidence gaps and policy needs, we particularly welcome strong proposals in the following areas:

• Innovations in education technology designed to make remote learning more equitable and accessible during school closures;

• Policies to reduce the gender gaps in school participation and learning both during and after the Covid crisis;

• The use of remedial education to accelerate learning for disadvantaged students, such as girls and disabled children, upon re-entry into schools; and

• Pedagogical innovations in private schools which can have relevant lessons for lower-income public school communities.

J-PAL affiliates, postdoctoral fellows, and invited researchers are eligible to apply for full and pilot funding. PhD students who have a J-PAL affiliate on their thesis committee at their host university are eligible to apply for up to $50,000 in pilot funding. 

Proposals also have have the opportunity to apply for additional funding if they partner with a cognitive sciences researcher or a psychologist to incorporate an interdisciplinary component such as piloting a new instrument/intervention, or add a new module to their existing survey(s).

Proposal Timeline

Proposals for this round were due on Sunday, June 13, 2021. Funding decision emails have been sent. The PPE initiative has officially wrapped up its final RFP, but please stay tuned for future funding opportunities.