Economic Opportunities for Women and Men: The Role of Regulation and Fiscal Policy

The GDLab, an initiative of the IDB Group, is inviting researchers to study how regulation and fiscal policy affect economic opportunities, participation, and formalization for women and men. Grants of up to $20,000 for quantitative research and $100,000 for pilot interventions with rigorous impact evaluation are available, with funded projects expected to begin in January 2027.

About the GDLab Research Call

The GDLab has launched the research call “Economic Opportunities for Women and Men: The Role of Regulation and Fiscal Policy” in collaboration with the IDB’s Institutions for Development Sector.

The call seeks actionable evidence on how government policies and regulatory reforms influence economic opportunities for women and men differently.

A major focus is understanding:

• Economic participation.
• Access to formal employment.
• Business formalization.
• Access to finance and credit.
• The effects of taxation.
• Gender differences in economic outcomes.
• The mechanisms through which policy reforms produce these effects.

Research Priorities

The call welcomes research addressing several policy areas.

Regulatory Simplification and Digital Government

Research can examine whether simplified regulations and digital government services reduce barriers to economic participation and formalization.

Potential topics include:

• Simplification of business procedures.
• Digital public services.
• Regulatory compliance.
• Barriers to formalization.
• Gender differences in access to government services.

Financial Regulation and Access to Credit

Studies may investigate how financial regulations affect access to credit and financial services for women and men.

Research could examine:

• Access to formal credit.
• Financial inclusion.
• Lending regulations.
• Gender differences in borrowing.
• Barriers faced by women entrepreneurs.

Tax Design and Economic Participation

Applicants can study how taxation influences economic participation and formalization.

Relevant research questions may include:

• How tax structures affect women’s labour-force participation.
• Whether tax incentives encourage formalization.
• Gender differences in responses to tax reforms.
• Effects of tax compliance requirements on businesses.

Labour Regulation and Formal Employment

Research may examine how labour-market regulations influence formal employment for women and men.

Potential topics include:

• Formal employment.
• Labour-market participation.
• Employment regulations.
• Hiring decisions.
• Gender gaps in formal work.

Gender and Intersectional Research

A gender lens is required across the research agenda.

The call also encourages studies examining intersectional effects on:

• Indigenous peoples.
• Afro-descendant populations.
• Persons with disabilities.

Applicants pursuing intersectional research should have appropriate data and a credible strategy for identifying causal effects.

Preferred Research Methods

The program gives priority to research capable of establishing causal relationships.

Preferred approaches include:

• Structural models.
• Randomized experiments.
• Quasi-experimental designs.
• Other rigorous quantitative methodologies.

Applicants should explain how their research design will distinguish causal effects from simple correlations.

Funding Categories

The call offers two funding categories.

Category I: Quantitative Diagnoses

Category I supports quantitative studies designed to establish causal relationships between regulation or fiscal policy and economic outcomes.

• Maximum funding: $20,000.
• Maximum duration: 12 months.
• Expected start: January 2027.
• Primary focus: Rigorous quantitative diagnosis and causal analysis.

Category II: Pilot Interventions

Category II supports pilot interventions combined with rigorous impact evaluation.

• Maximum funding: $100,000.
• Maximum duration: 18 months.
• Expected start: January 2027.
• Primary focus: Testing interventions and measuring their impacts.

Category II therefore provides substantially larger funding for researchers who are ready to move beyond diagnosis and test a policy intervention.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

• Independent researchers.
• Research teams.
• Researchers affiliated with public entities.
• Researchers affiliated with private entities.
• University researchers.
• Research-centre researchers.

Applicants must also meet the following requirements:

• Be a citizen of one of the 48 IDB member countries.
• Conduct research within the scope of the call.
• Use grant funding exclusively for eligible research-related activities.
• Not have an immediate family member employed by the IDB Group.

Eligible Research Costs

Grant funding must be used for research-related expenses.

Eligible activities can include:

• Data collection.
• Research activities.
• Impact evaluation.
• Other necessary research expenses.
• IRB certification, where applicable.

Overhead costs are permitted but are capped at 15% of direct project costs.

Research Timeline

Funded studies are expected to begin in January 2027.

The maximum project period depends on the category:

• Category I: Up to 12 months.
• Category II: Up to 18 months.

Researchers should therefore ensure that the proposed methodology, data collection, analysis, and reporting can realistically be completed within the applicable timeframe.

Publication and Knowledge Dissemination

Research supported through the call may receive opportunities for broader dissemination.

Funded studies may be considered for:

• IDB knowledge products.
• Academic journal publication.
• Wider policy dissemination.

Researchers should therefore develop projects with clear methodological quality, policy relevance, and potential to generate useful evidence.

Why This Research Matters

Regulations and fiscal policies can affect women and men differently, even when policies appear gender-neutral.

For example, regulatory requirements, tax structures, access to credit, or labour-market rules may create different incentives or barriers for different groups.

Evidence generated through this program can help policymakers understand:

• Which reforms increase economic participation.
• Which policies encourage formalization.
• Whether policy benefits are distributed equally between women and men.
• Why gender differences occur.
• How reforms can be designed to improve economic inclusion.

The emphasis on causal evidence is particularly important because it can help policymakers determine whether a specific reform actually produced a change rather than simply being associated with one.

How to Apply

Applicants should structure their proposal around a clearly defined policy problem and a rigorous research strategy.

Step 1: Select a Research Question

Choose a question connected to regulation, fiscal policy, economic participation, or formalization.

The research question should explicitly incorporate a gender perspective.

Step 2: Define the Policy Mechanism

Explain which regulation, fiscal measure, or policy reform will be studied and why it could affect women and men differently.

Step 3: Choose the Appropriate Methodology

Select a quantitative method capable of answering the research question.

Depending on the project, this may involve:

• Experimental research.
• Quasi-experimental research.
• Structural modelling.
• Rigorous impact evaluation.

Step 4: Establish Data and Identification Strategy

Describe:

• What data will be used.
• How data will be collected if necessary.
• Which population will be studied.
• How causal effects will be identified.
• How gender differences will be measured.

For intersectional projects, explain how effects on Indigenous, Afro-descendant, or disabled populations will be identified where relevant.

Step 5: Select the Funding Category

Choose Category I for a quantitative causal diagnosis or Category II if the project involves a pilot intervention with rigorous impact evaluation.

Step 6: Prepare the Budget

Ensure that requested funding is used for eligible research costs and that overhead remains within the 15% cap on direct project costs.

Step 7: Demonstrate Policy Relevance

Explain how the findings could inform regulation, fiscal policy, economic participation, or formalization policies.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

Applicants should:

• Define a specific and answerable research question.
• Clearly explain the gender dimension.
• Use a credible causal identification strategy.
• Demonstrate access to appropriate data.
• Explain the expected policy contribution.
• Match the methodology to the research question.
• Provide a realistic timeline.
• Keep overhead within the 15% limit.
• Clearly distinguish between Category I and Category II objectives.

Proposals should avoid broad research questions that cannot be answered with the proposed data or methodology.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Researchers should avoid:

• Treating gender as a minor addition rather than a central analytical dimension.
• Using descriptive statistics when the proposal requires causal evidence.
• Failing to explain the identification strategy.
• Proposing an intervention without a rigorous evaluation plan under Category II.
• Requesting funding for non-research expenses.
• Exceeding the overhead limit.
• Failing to demonstrate access to suitable data.
• Ignoring the project’s maximum duration.
• Proposing research with limited relevance to low- and middle-income country policy challenges.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GDLab research call about?

The call supports research examining how regulation and fiscal policy affect economic opportunities, participation, and formalization for women and men.

How much funding is available?

Category I provides up to $20,000, while Category II provides up to $100,000.

What is the difference between the two categories?

Category I supports quantitative diagnoses establishing causal relationships and lasts up to 12 months. Category II supports pilot interventions with rigorous impact evaluation and can last up to 18 months.

When will funded projects begin?

All funded studies are expected to begin in January 2027.

Who can apply?

Independent researchers and research teams affiliated with universities, research centres, public entities, or private entities may apply, provided they meet the citizenship and other eligibility requirements.

Is a gender focus required?

Yes. Proposed research should examine economic opportunities for women and men through a clear gender lens. Intersectional analysis involving Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and persons with disabilities is also encouraged where appropriate data and identification strategies exist.

Can grant funding be used for overhead?

Yes, but overhead costs are capped at 15% of direct project costs. Funding must otherwise be used exclusively for eligible research-related activities.

Conclusion

The GDLab research call provides funding for rigorous research on how regulation and fiscal policy shape economic opportunities for women and men. With grants of up to $20,000 for causal quantitative studies and $100,000 for pilot interventions, the opportunity is well suited to researchers able to combine strong quantitative methods with clear policy relevance and a meaningful gender perspective.