Deadline: 03-Jan-23

Structural Transformation and Economic Growth (STEG) invites applications for the sixth call for Small Research Grants (SRGs).

Research topics

• Research can focus on broad systemic patterns and processes of structural transformation and growth for low- and middle-income countries, in a comparative sense over time or space, or more narrowly defined topics related to one or more of the following six research themes:
  • Data, measurement and conceptual framework;
  • Firms, frictions and spillovers and industrial policy;
  • Labour, domestic production and structural transformation at household level;
  • Agricultural productivity and sectoral gaps;
  • Commercial and space friction;
  • Political economy and public investment.
• Other areas of interest may not fit neatly into any of the themes, but they are of central relevance to STEG and are also encouraged.
• STEG also focuses on three cross-cutting issues that are simultaneously relevant to many areas of structural transformation, including the six research themes:
  • Gender;
  • Climate change and the environment;
  • Inequality and inclusion.
• Research proposals that address these issues will receive special consideration.

Financing Information

• SRGs of between £10,000 and £25,000 can fund research assistance, data collection and/or purchase, and potentially research stipends/teaching purchases.
• Duration: Aimed at issuing financing decisions within three months of the call deadlines. An SRG must be finalised within 12 months.
• The grants also support travelling to field sites, even when secondary data is used. We consider this type of trip (with possibilities for field visits and talks with policymakers) particularly important for researchers with no previous experience in the countries they intend to study.

Relevance of the country and politics

• Note that an important criterion for funding proposals is relevance to policy in low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Proposals focussed on middle- and/or high-income countries need to present clear arguments about the relevance of the research to policy in specific low-income countries. Proposals are also evaluated on the extent to which research findings (including those from comparative work or studies in other geographies) can be relevant to policy in specific sub-Saharan countries.

Eligibility criteria

• They accept applications for our SRG calls from researchers all over the world.
• Given the current political situation and the imposition of economic sanctions on various Russian entities by Western governments, we cannot accept project proposals that include researchers or members of the research team based in Russian institutions at this time.
• Principal investigators applying for SRG competitions must hold a PhD or be enrolled in a PhD programme. In exceptional circumstances, we will consider applications submitted by principal investigators who do not fit these criteria; however, they must be able to demonstrate a track record of high-quality academic and/or policy-relevant research. Although there are no formal qualification requirements for co-investigators, co-investigators on STEG-funded projects usually have a PhD or are enrolled in a PhD programme. The knowledge, experience and qualifications of the entire research team will be taken into account when evaluating the proposal.

For more information, visit STEG.