Call for Research Proposals: Economic Opportunities for Women and Men

About the opportunity

GDLab, an IDB Group initiative, has launched a Call for Research Proposals titled “Economic Opportunities for Women and Men: The Role of Regulation and Fiscal Policy”, developed in collaboration with the IDB’s Institutions for Development Sector. The call supports rigorous causal research generating evidence on how regulatory, financial, fiscal, and labor reforms shape economic opportunities for women and men in Latin America and the Caribbean, and on the effectiveness of policy instruments designed to reduce these differences. Proposals must analyze one or more of the 26 IDB borrowing member countries, apply rigorous quantitative methods, and may fall under two funding categories: Category I for quantitative diagnoses (up to $20 thousand) and Category II for pilot interventions (up to $100 thousand).

Funding and benefits

• Category I: Funding of up to $20 thousand for quantitative diagnoses that establish causal relationships.
• Category II: Funding of up to $100 thousand for pilot interventions.
• Selected studies will undergo external peer review and may be considered for publication in the IDB Working Paper Series.

Who can apply?

• Open to independent researchers and research teams affiliated with public or private institutions, universities, or research centers.
• Applicants must be citizens of one of the 48 IDB member countries.
• Applicants must not have immediate family members employed by the IDB Group up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or second degree of affinity, including spouses.
• Proposals must analyze one or more of the 26 IDB borrowing member countries.

Required documents

• Online application form completed via Oxford Abstracts
• All required supporting documents as outlined in the brochure

When to apply

• Applications must be submitted by September 24, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET, noon.
• Shortlisted teams will be invited to participate in a revise-and-resubmit phase in October 2026.
• Final results will be announced in November 2026.

How to apply

• Download and review the brochure to understand eligibility, funding categories, and application details.
• Create a free account on the Oxford Abstracts platform.
• Complete the online application form in English.
• Upload all required supporting documents and submit the proposal through Oxford Abstracts before the deadline.

Additional information

• IDB Group specialists may participate as members of external research teams but are not eligible to receive financial compensation.
• Funding will be transferred exclusively to the external institution or principal investigator leading the project.
• Prioritized thematic areas include Regulatory Simplification and Digital Government, Financial Regulation and Access to Credit and Formal Markets, Tax Design and Economic Participation, and Labor Regulation and Formal Employment.