Social Protection Initiative Request for Proposals

Overview 

The Social Protection Initiative (SPI) funds randomized evaluations of social protection programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In collaboration with the Jobs and Opportunity Initiative (JOI), our 2025 request for proposals (RFP) is accepting applications for travel/proposal development grants, pilot studies, and full-scale studies. The JOI/SPI joint window aims to generate policy-relevant research on labor market and social protection programs that increase income and improve work opportunities in LMICs. Please email spi@povertyactionlab.org with any questions. 

Timeline 

Short letters of interest are due by 5 p.m. US ET on March 5, 2025. Full proposals are due by 5 p.m. US ET on April 16, 2025. Funding decisions will be announced in June 2025. 

Geographic scope 

The majority of funding in this window will be reserved for projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Funding in other geographies is more limited, but could be considered if the study is testing an intervention that has replication potential in sub-Saharan Africa.

Key criteria

Key criteria for projects funded through this window include:

1. Income (or a closely-related financial measure like earnings or business profits) should be a primary outcome measured
2. Team includes in their proposal plans to collect cost data in the case of full RCTs (to enable future cost-effectiveness analysis) 
3. Researchers should demonstrate that there is a pathway to scale if an RCT demonstrates positive impact
4. Special consideration will be given to projects with (1) an implementing partner who could scale up the intervention, and/or (2) who focus on youth, women, and/or people who are marginalized (people not in school, refugees, etc.)

Thematic focus

Below are illustrative topics on which we invite proposals, though we would also consider other proposals that address the key criteria listed above.

1. Social protection
   • Addressing poverty and/or life-cycle challenges: transfer programs, particularly Graduation or economic inclusion programs
   • Insuring against shocks: unemployment insurance and other types of social insurance, supporting resilience in the context of climate change   
   • Designing and implementing more effective programs: identifying beneficiaries, improving take-up, making sure benefits get delivered 
2. Job creation
   • Supporting growth of high-potential businesses: targeting and supporting high-impact entrepreneurs, incubators and accelerators, expanding the supply of “good” jobs
   • Connecting businesses to new markets and buyers: matching small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to markets and global value chains, digital market access, trade access, access to government contracts and other procurement interventions
   • Improving firm management and technology: alternative business training and consulting for firms, technology adoption
   • Directly incentivizing job creation in the presence of spillovers: wage subsidies, public works programs
3. Job training and matching
   • Boosting skills: vocational training, apprenticeships
   • Making job search more effective: job search assistance, job placement services, skill certifications
   • Connecting job seekers to new markets: facilitating migration for job opportunities, expanding work access through internet-based employment
4. Cross-cutting themes
   • Research at the intersection of social protection and active labor market policies (e.g., programs that transfer skills while providing income support)
   • Research on one of the above themes that leverages tools like AI and other technologies to enhance cost-effectiveness, program reach, targeting, etc. 
   • Adapting existing social protection and active labor market policies to make them more resilient to climate change

For a detailed synthesis of existing evidence on social protection in LMICs and an extensive list of open questions and evidence gaps, please refer to the SPI Evidence Review. For synthesis on existing evidence on jobs topics, please refer to our policy insights libraries for Firms and Labor Markets. 

Additionally, note that JOI is hosting a parallel funding window for projects investigating the intersections of soft skills, effective workforce development and entrepreneurship policies, and economic outcomes in LMICs. Please visit the JOI RFP webpage for details on this funding opportunity.

Eligibility

J-PAL affiliates, J-PAL invited researchers, and J-PAL postdocs are eligible to apply for full studies of up to $350,000, pilot studies of up to $75,000, and travel/proposal development grants of up to $10,000. Please note that full study applications under $250,000 will be most competitive.  

PhD students, with support from an advisor who is a J-PAL affiliate or J-PAL invited researcher, are also eligible to apply for travel/proposal development grants and up to $50,000 for a pilot or full study.

Resident African scholars are also eligible to apply for pilot studies and travel/proposal development grants. African Scholars Frequently Asked Questions covers topics specifically related to African Scholars including eligibility requirements, what funding can be used for, how the proposal process works, what to consider when budgeting for your project, and more.

Application Instructions 

To respond to this RFP, please follow the directions listed below. 

1) J-PAL has transitioned to a new application portal and grant management system (GMS), WizeHive. Please refer to the WizeHive Application Instructions for information on how to create a new login. Or, if you have already successfully submitted an LOI or proposal to a J-PAL competition, simply log into WizeHive with your credentials.

1. To start an application for a Full RCT, click here. 
2. To start an application for a Pilot, click here. 
3. To start an application for a Travel/Proposal Development grant, click here. 

2) Submit a required Letter of Intent (LOI) by 5:00 p.m. US ET on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Please see the proposal guidelines linked below for a preview of application questions and required materials.

3) If you receive an invitation to apply to the main application, please follow the next steps outlined in the relevant proposal guidelines documents linked below. Each of the following documents includes a checklist and guidance on what to address within each narrative prompt – guiding your completion of all required submission materials based on the appropriate proposal type. We recommend reading the relevant Proposal Guidelines document in detail before answering the proposal questions in WizeHive. Please find proposal guidelines and application previews for each proposal type (Full RCTs, Pilots, and Travel/Proposal Development grants) at the bottom of this page.

4) Upon completing your proposal and uploading proposal attachments (budget, budget narrative, letters, etc.), submit the proposal by 5:00 p.m. US ET on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. 

For further information and troubleshooting, please get in touch with Application_help@povertyactionlab.org.