Science for Progress Initiative
Science for Progress Initiative supports researchers conducting randomized evaluations and preparatory studies to build evidence on how to fund and support science and inform policy and practice.
Funder: Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
Due Dates: Rolling (Expressions of Interest and full proposals)
Funding Amounts: Up to $500,000 (full RCTs), $75,000 (pilots), or $10,000 (travel/proposal development); PhD student proposals capped at $50,000
Summary: Supports randomized evaluations and preparatory research on effective ways to fund and support science.
Key Information: Applicants need an eligible J-PAL affiliation or researcher status, or qualifying PhD supervision.
Description
The Science for Progress Initiative (SfPI), run by J-PAL, funds metascience research that produces rigorous, quantitative evidence about the scientific process. Its goal is to inform policy and practice through randomized evaluations of approaches to funding and supporting scientific research. The initiative welcomes diverse ideas in this emerging field, with no geographic restrictions on proposals.
Research interests include allocating research grants, designing contracts and incentives, spreading socially valuable discoveries beyond laboratories and academic papers, and supporting talented people entering or remaining in science—including younger researchers and traditionally underrepresented groups. Funding supports full randomized controlled trials (RCTs), pilots, and exploratory travel or proposal development. Pilot and preparatory work must plausibly contribute to an eventual full randomized evaluation.
