North America Social Policy Research Initiative (SPRI)
J-PAL North America's SPRI funds RCTs evaluating innovative social policies to generate rigorous evidence for effective poverty reduction in North America, with an emphasis on marginalized populations and racial equity.
Funder: Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
Due Dates: January 7, 2025 | June 2, 2026 | January 12, 2027
Funding Amounts: Full projects: typically $150,000–$250,000 (up to $400,000, max 3 years); Pilot: up to $50,000 (max 3 years); Travel/development: up to $5,000 (1 year)
Summary: Supports randomized evaluations of innovative social programs and policies to generate evidence for effective poverty-reducing policy in North America.
Key Information: J-PAL affiliates, post-docs, invited researchers, and eligible graduate students may apply; U.S.-based RCTs only.
Description
The Social Policy Research Initiative (SPRI) from J-PAL North America funds randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating innovative social programs and policies with the goal of generating rigorous evidence to inform effective poverty-reducing policy. SPRI issues semi-annual Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for research in any sector relevant to reducing poverty in North America, including but not limited to education, climate change, housing, labor, government efficiency, and racial equity. The initiative emphasizes research with direct relevance to economically marginalized populations and encourages proposals that address structural racism and promote racial equity.
