Resources for applicants
Useful resources for prospective applicants of the IGC call for proposals.
Proposal examples
Below you will find a selection of successful research proposals from past applicants. These proposals are examples of rigorous and thoughtful research methodologies and were ranked highly by our evaluators on the quality of their research designs.
Research design is an important evaluation criteria and essential for the credibility and relevance of any economic development study. A robust design encompasses methodologies that safeguard against both external threats (for example generalisability to wider contexts) and internal threats (such as causality between variables). Moreover, simplicity and lucidity in design are essential; a clear and logically sequenced methodology ensures that both researchers and stakeholders can easily comprehend and replicate the study.
Proposals should guard against biased, spurious, or harmful interpretations and prioritise methodologies that provide clear, actionable, and informative insights. Such simplicity and clarity not only enhance the reliability of the research, but also ensure it serves as a solid foundation for evidence-based decision-making in economic development. Only projects that can demonstrate methods likely to produce valid and reliable results are considered for funding.
We encourage all applicants to review these proposals as valuable examples of strong research design that can help inspire your own research plans. For each proposal, we have included title, summary, research design and comments from IGC’s evaluation team. Please note that some details in the proposal have been anonymised for data protection purposes, and that elements of these examples were generated with support from an artificial intelligence language model.
Proposal 2: Direct effects of refugee work permits: RCT evidence from Country X
Policy memos on climate priorities
IGC countries outline their respective climate priorities in these policy memos, exploring a range of issues, such as renewable energy, agriculture, land use, and green industrialisation.