Applications Open for Compact Research Grants

The ReCIPE Compact Research Grants (CRGs) provide funding of £10,000 to £25,000 for researchers worldwide to conduct policy-relevant research on conflict, economic performance, and development challenges in designated ReCIPE Focus Countries. The grants can support research assistance, data collection, data purchases, justified research stipends or teaching buyouts, and fieldwork-related travel.

About the ReCIPE Compact Research Grants

The ReCIPE Programme supports research that improves understanding of the relationship between conflict, economic performance, and development in countries facing severe development challenges.

The Compact Research Grants are intended to help researchers generate evidence that can inform policymakers in ReCIPE Focus Countries.

Applicants should propose research addressing conflict-related issues within one or more of ReCIPE’s nine research themes. Projects that examine the intersection of conflict and economic performance are particularly encouraged.

Researchers should consult the ReCIPE Research Strategy when developing their proposals and demonstrate how the proposed study contributes to the programme’s research priorities.

ReCIPE Compact Research Grants Funding

Successful applicants can request between:

• Minimum grant: £10,000
• Maximum grant: £25,000

Funding may support eligible research-related expenses, including:

• Research assistance
• Data collection
• Purchase of research data
• Research stipends, where sufficiently justified
• Teaching buyouts, where sufficiently justified
• Travel to research field sites
• Fieldwork associated with the use of secondary data

All proposed costs should be reasonable, necessary, and clearly justified. Cost effectiveness and value for money are important considerations during assessment.

What Research Does ReCIPE Support?

Proposals should address conflict-related research questions that have clear policy relevance to one or more ReCIPE Focus Countries.

Research can examine issues connected to ReCIPE’s nine research themes. Applicants are particularly encouraged to consider questions that connect:

• Conflict and economic performance
• Conflict-related development challenges
• Institutional and economic consequences of conflict
• Development policy in fragile or conflict-affected settings
• Other cross-cutting issues identified in the ReCIPE research strategy

A strong application should explain why the research matters, who can use the findings, and how the results could contribute to policy or development practice.

Who Is Eligible?

The opportunity is open to researchers worldwide, subject to the programme’s specific eligibility and contracting requirements.

Applicants should have the appropriate academic or research background to undertake the proposed study and demonstrate that they can deliver the research effectively.

Applications may involve:

• Individual researchers
• Multidisciplinary research teams
• International research collaborations
• Researchers working across different income-country contexts

The proposal should clearly establish the applicant’s role, research expertise, methodology, and ability to complete the proposed work.

Eligible Research Costs

The Compact Research Grants can be used for several types of research expenditure.

Research Assistance

Funding may cover research assistants needed for activities such as data collection, processing, analysis, literature reviews, or other justified research tasks.

Data Collection and Purchase

Applicants may request funding to collect primary data or purchase existing datasets required for the research.

Research Stipends and Teaching Buyouts

Research stipends or teaching buyouts may be supported when they are sufficiently justified and directly contribute to completion of the proposed research.

Fieldwork and Travel

Funding can support travel to field sites, including research that relies on secondary data.

However, applicants proposing in-country activities or travel must provide a strong justification and address relevant security and safety considerations.

In-Country Research and Safety Requirements

Projects involving research activities or travel within a country require additional consideration.

Applicants should:

1. Explain why in-country research or travel is necessary.
2. Identify relevant security and safety risks.
3. Explain how those risks will be managed.
4. Consider alternatives to face-to-face fieldwork where appropriate.
5. Ensure that proposed activities comply with relevant institutional and local requirements.

Depending on the country and circumstances, researchers undertaking in-country activities may be required to sign an institutional contract rather than an individual contract.

The contracting arrangement may therefore be determined on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply

Applicants should develop their proposal around a clearly defined research problem and demonstrate its relevance to ReCIPE’s priorities.

Step 1: Review the Research Priorities

Consult the ReCIPE Research Strategy and identify the relevant research theme or themes.

Make sure the proposed research clearly relates to conflict, development, economic performance, or their intersections.

Step 2: Define the Research Question

Present a focused research question rather than a broad description of a development problem.

Explain:

• What problem the research will investigate
• Which country or countries are relevant
• Why the issue matters
• What evidence is required
• How the research will contribute to existing knowledge

Step 3: Demonstrate Policy Relevance

Explain how the findings could be useful to policymakers or other relevant stakeholders in ReCIPE Focus Countries.

Applications should make the pathway from research → evidence → policy relevance clear.

Step 4: Prepare the Budget

Prepare a detailed and realistic budget covering only justified research expenses.

The requested amount must fall between £10,000 and £25,000.

Budgets must comply with the CRG Budget Guidelines and demonstrate cost effectiveness and value for money.

Step 5: Address Fieldwork Risks

If the project includes international travel or in-country research, provide a clear explanation of:

• Why travel is required
• Where activities will take place
• Potential safety and security risks
• Risk mitigation measures
• Possible alternatives to physical fieldwork

Step 6: Submit the Proposal

Submit the completed application and supporting information according to the ReCIPE Compact Research Grants requirements.

Applicants should ensure that all required budget and research information is complete before submission.

What Makes a Strong Application?

A competitive proposal should demonstrate:

• A clearly defined research question
• Strong alignment with ReCIPE research priorities
• Clear relevance to a ReCIPE Focus Country
• A credible research methodology
• Strong policy relevance
• Appropriate and justified data sources
• A realistic research timetable
• A cost-effective budget
• Appropriate consideration of fieldwork risks
• Potential contribution to research and development policy

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Submitting a research topic that has weak links to conflict or economic performance
• Failing to explain policy relevance
• Providing an overly broad research question
• Requesting poorly justified research costs
• Exceeding the £25,000 grant limit
• Including unnecessary travel or fieldwork
• Ignoring security and safety considerations
• Failing to follow the CRG Budget Guidelines
• Providing insufficient justification for stipends or teaching buyouts
• Treating value for money as an afterthought

Why the ReCIPE Compact Research Grants Matter

Conflict and economic development are closely connected, but evidence on these relationships remains limited in many fragile and conflict-affected countries.

The ReCIPE Compact Research Grants provide researchers with relatively flexible funding to generate policy-relevant evidence on conflict and economic performance.

By supporting data collection, research assistance, fieldwork, and other essential research costs, the programme can help researchers produce findings that contribute to better-informed development and economic policies in ReCIPE Focus Countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ReCIPE Compact Research Grants Programme?

The ReCIPE Compact Research Grants Programme provides funding for policy-relevant research examining conflict, economic performance, and development issues in designated ReCIPE Focus Countries.

How much funding is available?

Researchers can request grants ranging from £10,000 to £25,000.

Who can apply?

Researchers worldwide can apply, subject to the programme’s eligibility and contracting requirements. Multidisciplinary and international research collaborations are encouraged where appropriate.

What expenses can the grant cover?

Eligible expenses can include research assistance, data collection or data purchases, justified research stipends or teaching buyouts, and travel to research field sites.

Can the grant fund international fieldwork?

Yes. Fieldwork-related travel may be supported, including research involving secondary data. However, proposals involving in-country activities must strongly justify the work and address safety and security considerations.

Does the research need to focus on economic performance?

Research must address conflict-related topics within ReCIPE’s research priorities. Projects examining the intersection between conflict and economic performance are particularly encouraged.

What are the main factors considered during assessment?

Applications should demonstrate strong research quality, policy relevance, alignment with ReCIPE priorities, feasibility, appropriate risk management, cost effectiveness, and value for money.

Conclusion

The ReCIPE Compact Research Grants offer researchers an opportunity to secure £10,000–£25,000 for rigorous, policy-relevant research on conflict and development in ReCIPE Focus Countries. Strong applications should combine a focused research question with clear policy relevance, a credible methodology, a justified budget, and appropriate safety planning for any in-country research or travel.